Sanctions: meaning, definitions and examples

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sanctions

 

[ ˈsæŋkʃənz ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

international relations

Sanctions are penalties or other means of enforcement used to provide incentives for obedience with the law, or with rules and regulations. They can take the form of economic sanctions, trade restrictions, tariffs, travel bans, or other measures.

Synonyms

embargoes, penalties, punishments, restrictions

Examples of usage

  • Despite the sanctions imposed by the international community, the country continued its nuclear program.
  • Sanctions were lifted in exchange for the country agreeing to disarm its chemical weapons.
  • The United Nations imposed sanctions on the regime in response to human rights violations.
Context #2 | Verb

international relations

To sanction means to authorize or approve a course of action. It can also mean to penalize or enforce obedience with a law or rule.

Synonyms

approve, authorize, penalize, permit

Examples of usage

  • The government decided to sanction the use of military force in the region.
  • The company was sanctioned for violating environmental regulations.
  • The court sanctioned the settlement agreement between the two parties.

Translations

Translations of the word "sanctions" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sanções

🇮🇳 सजा

🇩🇪 Sanktionen

🇮🇩 sanksi

🇺🇦 санкції

🇵🇱 sankcje

🇯🇵 制裁

🇫🇷 sanctions

🇪🇸 sanciones

🇹🇷 yaptırımlar

🇰🇷 제재

🇸🇦 عقوبات

🇨🇿 sankce

🇸🇰 sankcie

🇨🇳 制裁

🇸🇮 sankcije

🇮🇸 refsingar

🇰🇿 жазалар

🇬🇪 სანქციები

🇦🇿 sanksiyalar

🇲🇽 sanciones

Etymology

The word 'sanction' comes from the Latin word 'sanctio', meaning 'law' or 'decree'. Over time, its meaning has evolved to encompass both the idea of authorizing and penalizing. The concept of sanctions has been used throughout history in various forms to enforce compliance with laws and regulations.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,362 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.