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sanction

SANK-shun /ˈsæŋk.ʃən/

nounverbC1GRESATIELTS

formalpoliticallegal

A penalty for disobeying a law or rule; or official permission and authorization for an action.

A contronym (auto-antonym) that can mean economic penalty in geopolitical contexts OR official approval in domestic legal settings.

The story behind the word. Sanction originates from Latin 'sancire' (to render sacred or decree). In Roman jurisprudence, a 'sanctio' was the concluding section of a statute specifying penalties for non-compliance. Over centuries, it developed two opposite senses: formal enactment/approval, and the punitive fine for breach.

Word relationships

embargo: An embargo is a specific trade or shipping ban, whereas sanctions include broader actions like asset freezes and travel bans.

reward: A reward incentivizes compliance, while a punitive sanction punishes non-compliance.

Commonly confused with

duty: A duty is a normal tax on border commerce; a sanction is a punitive political penalty.

Word family

sanctioned (verb): Penalized under sanctions OR legally approved
sanctioning (verb): Enforcing penalties OR giving formal approval

Collocations

impose sanctions
economic sanctions
lift sanctions
sanctioned entity

Example sentences

"The Security Council imposed financial sanctions against the regime to force compliance with peace terms." International relations
"The commercial merger received official state sanction after clearing antitrust checks." Legal authorization context

Memory hook

SANCTION: Economic penalties cause a nation's economy to SINK, or give a formal SEAL of approval. Penalty or official authorization.

When not to use

Pay close attention to context, as sanction can mean punishment or permission depending on structure.

Fun facts

Sanction is one of the most famous 'contronyms' in the English language—words that serve as their own direct opposites.