approve by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approve by" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct form would be "approved by" to indicate that something has received approval from someone. Example: "The project was approved by the board of directors after a thorough review."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Academia

Formal & Business

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Reference

Social Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

He gets 46 approval, 48percentt disapproval; independents approve by a narrow margin, 47 to 44percentt.

The Washington Post

Research supervisors must approve by the Add Deadline, two weeks after the start of classes.

Cornell University

An agreement permitting the consumer to approve by telephone the rollover of funds at the maturity of an instrument.

Cornell University

The proposal went through the transportation committee without incident and was approve by the Representative Town Meeting in Westport.

The New York Times

The latter postponed its decision on which candidates to approve by three days, amid rampant rumours of alleged payoffs of council members.

The Economist

Infrastructure projects in America, the critique went, took years to plan and approve; by the time they got off the ground, the recession would be over.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

Fully approved by government".

The Guardian - Opinion

This rule was approved by Pope Honorius III.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His reprieve was approved by the world.

The Economist

Both uses are approved by the F.D.A.

The New York Times

Have S.T.D. approved by teacher".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the passive voice construction "approved by" to indicate that something has received official sanction or endorsement. For example, "The budget was approved by the finance committee."

Common error

Avoid using "approve by" in active voice constructions. This phrasing is grammatically incorrect. Instead, ensure the subject receives the approval, such as "The proposal was approved by the board."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approve by" is grammatically incorrect. The correct usage is typically the passive form, such as "approved by". Ludwig AI confirms that "approve by" is not standard English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "approve by" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct and widely accepted form is "approved by", which uses the past participle to indicate that something has received approval. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase does not adhere to standard grammar conventions. When writing, ensure you use "approved by" to convey the intended meaning of endorsement or authorization clearly and correctly. Avoid using "approve by" as it can lead to confusion and is not considered proper English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be approved by

This puts the emphasis on the recipient of the approval, changing the active voice to passive.

get approval from

This alternative focuses on the act of obtaining approval, changing the structure to highlight the process.

receive endorsement from

This substitutes "approve" with "endorsement", implying a stronger form of support.

secure authorization from

This uses "authorization" instead of "approval", implying a formal permission.

endorsed by

This alternative emphasizes the formal support and recommendation provided.

gain acceptance from

This replaces "approve" with "acceptance", suggesting a broader agreement or validation.

ratified by

This replaces 'approve' with ratified to emphasize a formal and official confirmation or sanctioning.

passed by

This alternative is commonly used in formal contexts such as business or legislation for instances involving the passing or approval of laws, rules or regulations.

sanctioned by

This emphasizes the authoritative backing or permission granted by a governing body.

consent by

Uses a different verb with a similar meaning and introduces a slight variation in how consent is received or given.

FAQs

How should I correctly use the phrase "approve by" in a sentence?

The phrase "approve by" is generally considered incorrect. The correct phrasing is "approved by", indicating that something has received approval. For example, "The plan was "approved by" the committee" is correct.

What's a better way to say "approve by"?

Instead of "approve by", use ""approved by"", "endorsed by", or "authorized by" to indicate that something has received approval or endorsement from someone or something.

Is "approve by" grammatically correct?

No, "approve by" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is ""approved by"", which uses the past participle of the verb "approve".

How does the meaning change if I use "approved by" instead of "approve by"?

Using ""approved by"" correctly indicates that something has already received approval. "Approve by" is grammatically incorrect and doesn't convey a clear meaning, so using "approved by" ensures clarity and correctness.