Meaning & use
to formally approve
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Meanings
phrasetransitive
to give official permission for a plan, document, or request after checking it carefully.
Grammar: Takes an object: the board formally approved the budget. In the passive, 'be formally approved' is very common in official writing.
Patterns
- formally approve something
- formally approve of something
- something is formally approved by someone
The committee will formally approve the new rules at its meeting next month.
Once the plans are formally approved, building work can begin.
Parliament formally approved the treaty after a long debate.
phraseintransitive
to state in an official way that you accept or agree with something.
Grammar: No object here; it is usually followed by 'of': the minister formally approved of the change.
Patterns
- formally approve of something
- formally approve of someone doing something
Her parents formally approved of the marriage in a short ceremony.
The union has not formally approved of the pay offer yet.
Common combinations
- formally approve a plan
- The city council formally approved the plan for a new library.
- formally approve a budget
- Lawmakers formally approved the budget just before midnight.
- be formally approved by
- All medicines must be formally approved by the safety agency.
- formally approve a request
- The bank formally approved her request for a loan.
- formally approve the minutes
- At the start of each meeting, members formally approve the minutes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ratify
- More formal and legal; it fits treaties, contracts, and constitutions better than everyday plans.
- authorize
- Focuses on giving someone the power to act, while 'formally approve' focuses on agreeing that something is acceptable.
- sign off on
- Informal and common in business; too casual for official documents or ceremonies.
- endorse
- Often suggests public support for a person or idea rather than official permission for a document.
Opposites
Word family
- approve verb
- the base verb: to agree to something or think it is good.
- approval noun
- official agreement or a good opinion of someone or something.
- approved adjective
- officially accepted, as in an approved list of suppliers.
- disapprove verb
- the opposite: to think something is bad or not acceptable.
Commonly confused: to formally approve or approve of?
to formally approve vs approve of
'Approve of' means to have a good opinion of something, while 'approve' without 'of' usually means to give official permission. Compare: I don't approve of smoking (opinion) and The board approved the loan (permission).
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Approve' takes a direct object when it means giving official permission, so 'approved the report' is correct. 'Approved to' and 'approved for' do not fit this meaning, and 'approved of' needs a noun or -ing form, not a bare verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to formally approve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.