Library / English Dictionary

DISAPPROVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Consider bad or wrong

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "disapprove" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "disapprove"):

frown on; frown upon (look disapprovingly upon)

discountenance (show disapproval by discouraging)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

approve (judge to be right or commendable; think well of)

Derivation:

disapproval (a feeling of disliking something or what someone is doing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Deem wrong or inappropriate

Example:

I disapprove of her child rearing methods

Synonyms:

disapprove; reject

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "disapprove" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "disapprove"):

object (express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent)

deprecate (express strong disapproval of; deplore)

deter; discourage (try to prevent; show opposition to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Antonym:

approve (give sanction to)

Derivation:

disapproval (the act of disapproving or condemning)

Credits

 Context examples: 

"What do you disapprove of, Mr. Rivers?" I asked.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"What shall we do with that girl? She never will behave like a young lady," sighed Meg, as she watched the race with a disapproving face.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

But you look grave, Marianne; do you disapprove your sister's choice?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

She disapproved them, which ought to have been enough.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

She had wanted him to devote himself to study, and, though she had not openly disapproved of his writing, she had never approved.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I cannot agree with you; I am convinced that my father would totally disapprove it.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I should have said, 'consider what you are doing. You are making a most disgraceful connection, and such a one as your family are unanimous in disapproving.'

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Yates's family and connexions were sufficiently known to him to render his introduction as the particular friend, another of the hundred particular friends of his son, exceedingly unwelcome; and it needed all the felicity of being again at home, and all the forbearance it could supply, to save Sir Thomas from anger on finding himself thus bewildered in his own house, making part of a ridiculous exhibition in the midst of theatrical nonsense, and forced in so untoward a moment to admit the acquaintance of a young man whom he felt sure of disapproving, and whose easy indifference and volubility in the course of the first five minutes seemed to mark him the most at home of the two.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I am persuaded that Mrs. Smith suspects his regard for Marianne, disapproves of it, (perhaps because she has other views for him,) and on that account is eager to get him away;—and that the business which she sends him off to transact is invented as an excuse to dismiss him.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Edmund might still look grave, and say he did not like the scheme in general, and must disapprove the play in particular; their point was gained: he was to act, and he was driven to it by the force of selfish inclinations only.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)