disapprove

/dɪsəˈpɹuːv/

//dɪsəˈpɹuːv// verb

"disapprove" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“disapprove” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,729 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#24,729
frequency rank, English
10
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

disapprove vs disprove
80% similar
disapprove vs disapproval
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for disapprove
PropertyValue
Headworddisapprove
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪsəˈpɹuːv/
Letters10
Frequency rank#24,729
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “disapprove” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). disapprove lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for disapprove is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsəˈpɹuːv/. Corpus data places it at rank #24,729 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for disapprove, with forms such as "ddisapprove", "diaspprove", and "disapporve". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "disprove", "disapproval", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From dis- + approve. The correct English form is disapprove, spelled D-I-S-A-P-P-R-O-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.
  2. 2
    To have or express an unfavorable opinion.
  3. 3
    To refuse to approve; reject.

Etymology

From dis- + approve.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddisapprove,diaspprove,disapporve,disapproev,disapprovve,disapprrove,disapprvoe,disaprove,disaprpove,dispaprove,dissapprove,dsiapprove,idsapprove

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of disapprove - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddisapprove1diaspprove2disapporve2disapproev2disapprovve1disapprrove1disapprvoe2disaprove1
Edit distance from "disapprove"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "disapprove"?
"disapprove" is spelled D-I-S-A-P-P-R-O-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsəˈpɹuːv/.
What does "disapprove" mean?
As a verb, "disapprove" means: To condemn; to consider wrong or inappropriate; used with of.
What words are commonly confused with "disapprove"?
"disapprove" is commonly confused with "disprove", "disapproval". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "disapprove"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disapprove" is /dɪsəˈpɹuːv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "disapprove"?
From dis- + approve. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “disapprove”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-A-P-P-R-O-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪsəˈpɹuːv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “disprove” - see the side-by-side comparison. disapprove vs disprove
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list