verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/dɪsəˈpɹuːv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D IH2 S AH0 P R UW1 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
She disapproves of rap music because of its sometimes aggressive lyrics.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To have or express an unfavorable opinion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Green washing schemes of corporations are disapproved by Greenpeace activists.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To refuse to approve; reject.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
consider bad or wrong
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: approve
Broader terms: evaluate, pass judgment, judge
Narrower terms: frown on, frown upon, discountenance
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- Proto-Indo-European *h2éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro-der. Proto-Indo-European *bhuH-der. Proto-Italic *proβwos Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Proto-Italic *proβwāō Latin probō Latin approbōder. Old French aproverbor. Middle English aproven English approve English disapprove From dis- + approve.
Across languages
Translations
44 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
асуджаць
(asudžacʹ)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Belarusian:
ганіць
(hanicʹ)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Bulgarian:
осъждам
(osǎždam)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Bulgarian:
порицавам
(poricavam)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Catalan:
desaprovar
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Chinese Mandarin:
譴責 /谴责
(qiǎnzé)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Dutch:
afkeuren
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Esperanto:
kondamni
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Finnish:
tuomita
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
French:
désapprouver
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Galician:
desaprobar
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
German:
missbilligen
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Greek:
αποδοκιμάζω
(apodokimázo)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
kifogásol
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
helytelenít
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
elítél
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
rosszall
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
ellenez
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
rossznak talál
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
kárhoztat
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Hungarian:
nincs ínyére
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Italian:
disapprovare
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Latin:
improbō
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Latin:
abdīcō
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Polish:
odrzucać
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Polish:
potępiać
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Polish:
skazać
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Portuguese:
desaprovar
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Russian:
осуждать
(osuždatʹ)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Russian:
порицать
(poricatʹ)
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Swedish:
ogilla
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Swedish:
misstycka
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Swedish:
underkänna
— (with of in English) to condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate
Chinese Mandarin:
不赞成
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Chinese Mandarin:
不同意
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Esperanto:
malaprobi
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Finnish:
hylätä
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Finnish:
tuomita
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Galician:
desaprobar
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Galician:
rexeitar
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Greek:
αποδοκιμάζω
(apodokimázo)
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Māori:
tirohura
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Polish:
potępiać
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion
Portuguese:
desaprovar
— to have or express an unfavorable opinion