- the act or a state or feeling of disapproving; censure; condemnation
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
dis•ap•prov•al
(dis′ə pro̅o̅′vəl),USA pronunciation n.
- the act or state of disapproving;
a condemnatory feeling, look, or utterance;
censure:stern disapproval.
- dis-1 + approval 1655–65
- disapprobation, dislike, condemnation.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
disapproval /ˌdɪsəˈpruːvəl/ n
dis•ap•prove /ˌdɪsəˈpruv/USA pronunciation
v., -proved, -prov•ing.
dis•ap•prov•ing•ly, adv. See -prov-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to withhold approval from;
refuse to allow:[~ + object]Her request to be rehired was disapproved by the committee. - to have an unfavorable opinion;
express disapproval: [no object]She wants to go away to college but her parents disapprove.[~ + of + object]Her parents disapprove of her plan to go away to college.
dis•ap•prov•ing•ly, adv. See -prov-.
dis•ap•prove
(dis′ə pro̅o̅v′),USA pronunciation v., -proved, -prov•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
dis′ap•prov′er, n.
dis′ap•prov′ing•ly, adv.
v.t.
- to think (something) wrong or reprehensible;
censure or condemn in opinion. - to withhold approval from;
decline to sanction:The Senate disapproved the nominations.
v.i.
- to have an unfavorable opinion;
express disapproval (usually fol. by of ).
- dis-1 + approve 1475–85
dis′ap•prov′ing•ly, adv.
- 1. deplore, decry, criticize.
- 1. praise.
'disapproval' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
blackball
- black mark
- blameworthy
- boo
- cancel
- catcall
- censure
- condemn
- condemnatory
- criticize
- decry
- deplore
- deprecate
- deprecatory
- disapprobation
- discourage
- disfavour
- disgusted
- dispraise
- goings-on
- groan
- innuendo
- kitten
- knotted
- look on
- no
- nothing
- really
- shake
- thumb
- tush
- tut-tut
- view
- abuse
- ashamed
- askance
- askew
- awfully
- bemoan
- bird
- cackle
- call
- chide
- childish
- clear
- colloquial
- contempt
- deplorable
- dim
- disapprove