sanction

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid.

   “The whalers had been operating in the contested waters off the island with sanction from the Japanese government.”

   “The idea that it was more comfortable in the house than out of it, did much towards reconciling his lordship. He felt positively glad that, as his wife had acted without his sanction, she should be subject to all possible inconvenience, as if such could be felt in Henrietta's state of mind.”

2. (countable, in-plural, uncountable)A penalty, punishment, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body.

   “The United States enacted a new round of sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa.”

3. (countable, uncountable)A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying any of the above.

verb

1. (transitive)To ratify; to make valid.
2. (transitive)To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance.

   “The school's inaction further sanctions this misbehavior.”

   “Many of the most earnest Protestants were business men, to whom lending money at interest was essential. Consequently first Calvin, and then other Protestant divines, sanctioned interest.”

3. (transitive)To penalize (a state etc.) with sanctions.

   “The generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, can be duped into providing detailed advice on how to commit crimes — ranging from money laundering to the export of weapons to sanctioned countries — a tech startup found.”