The noun sanction, meaning "authoritative approval" or "a coercive measure," entered English in the 15th century, and originally referred to a formal decree or law, especially an ecclesiastical …

Many nations have imposed sanctions on the country because of its attacks on its own people. Trade/ economic sanctions will only be lifted (= stopped) when the aggressor nation withdraws …

What does sanction mean? Sanction has two main senses that are almost opposites: it can refer to authorizing or approving something, or to penalizing or disciplining someone or something.

Look up sanction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. A sanction may be either a permission or a restriction, depending upon context, as the word is an auto-antonym. Examples of sanctions …

Definition of sanction noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. [countable, usually plural] sanction (against somebody) an official order that limits trade, contact, etc. with a …

Law action by a state to force another state to follow rules, etc.:[countable] to impose sanctions against that country. v. [~ + object] to allow officially: No one will sanction such actions. to …

Such a case is represented by sanction, which can mean both "to allow, encourage" and "to punish so as to deter." Sanction comes from the Latin word sānctiō, meaning "a law or decree …

SANCTION definition: 1. a punishment for not obeying a rule or a law: 2. official approval or permission 3. to formally…. Learn more.

13 hours ago · A YouTube video posted in December 2025 claimed the EU, the U.K., Canada and Australia had announced sanctions against U.S. President Donald Trump.

Aug 22, 2025 · Learn how political sanctions function as a non-military instrument of international pressure and policy enforcement.