Sanction

Sanction is a strange and confusing word because it has two, almost opposite, meanings.

‘To sanction’, as a verb, can mean either to approve or to punish.

‘Sanction’, as a noun, can mean either approval or punishment.

Some examples:

• The mayor sanctioned the building of a new hotel – meaning that the mayor approved the building of the new hotel.
• The event was officially sanctioned by the Football Association – meaning that the event was approved by the Football Association.
• The player was sanctioned for breaking team rules – meaning the player was punished for breaking the team rules.
• The government is threatening to sanction companies that don’t have proper facilities for workers – meaning that the government is threatening to punish companies that don’t have proper facilities for workers.

The noun is often used in its plural form: “sanctions”.

For example:

• The government is implementing sanctions against countries which imprison people without trial. 
• In the 1980s many countries sanctioned South Africa because of apartheid.
• Sanctions will only be lifted if the country agrees to change its policies.

In such cases, sanctions might be described as “economic sanctions”, “trade sanctions”, “financial sanctions”, “diplomatic sanctions” or “military sanctions”.

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Because of its almost opposite meanings, sanction is sometimes known as a “Janus word”: Janus being a Roman god with two heads facing in opposite directions.