sanction
SANK-shun
/ˈsæŋkʃən/
As a noun: a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule; official permission or approval. As a verb: to impose a penalty on; or to give official permission for.
A contronym (word with opposite meanings). In foreign policy, it almost exclusively refers to coercive economic penalties imposed to force compliance.
The story behind the word. Traces to Latin 'sancire', meaning 'to make sacred' or 'to ordain'. Laws were made sacred by attaching a penalty for their violation; thus, 'sanctio' referred both to the enactment that made a rule official (approval) and the punishment for breaching it (penalty).
Word relationships
- penalty: Refers broadly to punishment for breaking rules, whereas diplomatic sanction refers to structured political/economic pressure.
- authorization: Synonym for sanction in its approval sense, lacking the penalty sense entirely.
- embargo relief: The lifting of penalties and restrictions.
- prohibition: Antonym for the approval sense of sanction.
Commonly confused with
- embargo: An embargo is a specific type of sanction that forbids trade or commercial activity with a nation.
Word family
- sanctioned (adjective): Authorized, or subject to a penalty depending on context.
- sanctioning (noun): The act of authorizing or imposing penalties.
Collocations
- impose sanctions
- lift sanctions
- economic sanctions
- sanctioned country
Example sentences
- "The United Nations voted to impose economic sanctions on the rogue regime to curb its nuclear development." Foreign Policy Sanctions
- "The government gave its official sanction to the diplomatic mission after long deliberation." Official Approval
Memory hook
SANCTION can SAINT (approve) or SINK (penalize) an action. Two opposite sides of one legal coin.
When not to use
Be careful when context is ambiguous, as it can mean both 'punish' and 'approve'.
Fun facts
- Sanction is one of English's most famous 'auto-antonyms' or 'contronyms'—words that can mean their own exact opposite.
Also appears in
- Communication → Agreements & Affirmations
- Business → Globalization & Trade
- Law → International Law & Treaties
- Political Science & Governance → Geopolitics & International Relations
- Political Science & Governance → State Sovereignty & Statecraft
- Economic Theory & Analysis → International Trade & Tariffs
- Education & Pedagogy → Discipline & Classroom Management
- Sociology & Social Anthropology → Social Deviance & Conformity
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Professionalism vs Amateurism
- Student Life & Schooling → Academic Integrity & Cheating
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Refereeing & Officiating
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