sanction
noun UK /ˈsæŋk.ʃən/ US /ˈsæŋk.ʃən/
sanction noun (ORDER)
[ C usually plural ] an official order, such as the stopping of trade, that is taken against a country in order to make it obey international law:
Many nations have imposed sanctions on the country because of its attacks on its own people.
Trade/economic sanctions will only be lifted (= stopped) when the aggressor nation withdraws its troops.
C2 [ C ] a strong action taken in order to make people obey a law or rule, or a punishment given when they do not obey:
Without realistic sanctions, some teachers have difficulty keeping order in the classroom.
More examples
A package of economic sanctions is to be enacted against the country.
The UN has imposed punitive sanctions on the invading country.
The UN announced its intentions to toughen sanctions still further.
She is in favour of a relaxation of the sanctions.
People were surprised at the time by the severity of the sanctions.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
sanction noun (APPROVAL)
[ U ] approval or permission, especially formal or legal:
They tried to get official sanction for the plans.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
sanction
verb [ T ] UK /ˈsæŋk.ʃən/ US /ˈsæŋk.ʃən/
to formally give permission for something:
The government was reluctant to sanction intervention in the crisis.