Standard Lemma guide

disapprove

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • 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

5

verb

Meaning 5

deem wrong or inappropriate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I disapprove of her child rearing methods

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reject

Antonyms: approve

Broader terms: evaluate, pass judgment, judge

Narrower terms: object, deprecate, deter, discourage

History

Etymology

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