# approve

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈpɹuːv/ · frequency rank #6,208

## Definitions
1. To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.
2. To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.
3. To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
4. To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept.
5. To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
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-Italic *-āō
Proto-Italic *proβwāō
Latin probō
Latin approbōder.
Old French aproverbor.
Middle English aproven
English approve
From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, borrowed from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver (“to approve”), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Doublet of approbate. By surface analysis, ad- + prove.

## Easily confused with
- **approx** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approve-vs-approx)
- **approved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approve-vs-approved)
- **approves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approve-vs-approves)
- **approval** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/approval-vs-approve)

## Common misspellings (8)
`apporve`, `approev`, `approvve`, `apprrove`, `apprvoe`, `aprove`, `aprpove`, `paprove`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/approve