Words often have several shades of meaning, but some words have two different meanings that are completely unrelated to each other. When this happens, we have to rely on the context in which the word is used to determine which meaning applies. The word “sanction” in the English language is one such double-meaning word.
Sanction – Penalty
One of the meanings of the word “sanction” is a “penalty imposed against a nation, person, or business for human rights violation, fraud, smuggling, and other crimes.” Here are some examples:
- The United States applied harsh sanctions to the country of Venezuela because of the President’s dictatorship status.
- Several countries stopped trading with Venezuela for fear of being sanctioned.
- “If any country violates basic human rights at the government level, we will sanction that country starting with the government officials,” said the leader of the United Nations.
- Sanctions may result in the cutting off of trade and partnerships with a country as well as freezing assets.
- When a country is sanctioned, it is the common people who suffer and not the elites.
- In the year 2020, the United States applied the first phase of sanctions against government officials in Guyana, South America who were attempting to undermine democracy after the elections.
- The first phase of sanctions against government officials in Guyana included revocation of US visas for those individuals deemed culpable or complicit in undermining democracy.
- The fear of further sanctions caused the government to concede defeat which paved the way for the democratically elected government.
Sanction – To Approve or Bless
The word sanction also means approval, agreement, or permission. Here are some examples.
- We will go to the Bahamas for summer if our parents sanction the trip.
- His parents sanctioned his decision to go to college next year.
- The United States sanctioned Israel’s decision to attack the terrorist group Hamas.
Contronym
The word “sanction” is an example of a special type of word called a contronym (also known as an auto-antonym). A contronym is a word that has two meanings that are opposite or nearly opposite, depending on how it is used.
How to Tell Which Meaning Applies?
Since the word “sanction” has two different meanings, knowing which meaning applies in a sentence may require some effort. You will have to examine the context in which it is used. Usually, this is easy. The surrounding sentences and paragraph will expose the meaning applied in each case.
Copyright 2026 by Patrick Carpen. All rights reserved.
Proofread by expert: February 2026.