impose sanctions on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "impose sanctions on" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the context of applying penalties or restrictions, often by governments or organizations, against a country, entity, or individual. Example: "The United Nations decided to impose sanctions on the country due to its violation of international laws."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Should the EU impose sanctions on Russia?

The Economist

Will they impose sanctions on Israel?

The New York Times

Can the addicts impose sanctions on the pusher?

The New York Times

There have been mixed signals over whether Lebanon will impose sanctions on Syria.

The New York Times

The Philippine government said it would impose sanctions on erring agencies.

The Guardian

Will he act on his promise to impose sanctions on Iran?

The Economist

The union threatened to impose sanctions on Mr. Mahfouz as well.

The New York Times - Books

But African nations have been less willing to criticize, much less impose sanctions on, Zimbabwe.

The New York Times

The international community cannot impose sanctions on Iran for exercising rights enjoyed unimpeded by other nations.

The New York Times

France and Portugal announced that they would impose sanctions on Friday.

The New York Times

One part of his plan is to impose sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about international relations or legal matters, use "impose sanctions on" to clearly communicate the action of placing penalties or restrictions on a country, organization, or individual. This phrasing is widely understood and accepted in formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions such as "impose sanctions to" or "impose sanctions at". Always use "on" to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impose sanctions on" functions as a verb phrase that describes the act of placing penalties or restrictions on a particular entity. As Ludwig AI explains, it's a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Science

6%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "impose sanctions on" is a grammatically sound and very common expression used to describe the act of placing penalties or restrictions on a country, organization, or individual. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used and understood, particularly in formal contexts such as news and media, with some presence in science and business. When using the phrase, ensure that you maintain proper prepositional usage by consistently using "on". Alternatives like "apply penalties to" or "enact restrictions upon" can be used to provide variety, but "impose sanctions on" remains the most direct and recognizable phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

apply penalties to

Focuses on the act of applying penalties, removing the specific term 'sanctions'.

enact restrictions upon

Replaces 'sanctions' with 'restrictions' and uses 'enact' instead of 'impose'.

levy embargoes against

Substitutes 'sanctions' with 'embargoes' and employs 'levy' as a synonym for 'impose'.

place restrictions on

A more general way of saying restrictions are being set in place.

institute penalties for

Emphasizes the act of instituting penalties, changing the preposition to 'for'.

bring punitive measures against

Uses the term 'punitive measures' instead of 'sanctions' to convey the idea of penalties.

decree limitations upon

Implies a formal declaration of limitations, replacing 'sanctions' with a broader term.

take disciplinary action toward

Focuses on the disciplinary aspect of sanctions, shifting the perspective slightly.

inflict consequences upon

Highlights the consequences resulting from the sanctions, changing the focus of the phrase.

set constraints upon

Uses 'constraints' to replace 'sanctions', indicating limitations or restrictions.

FAQs

How to use "impose sanctions on" in a sentence?

You can use "impose sanctions on" to describe the act of placing penalties or restrictions on a country, organization, or individual. For example, "The United Nations decided to "impose sanctions on" the country due to its violation of international laws."

What can I say instead of "impose sanctions on"?

You can use alternatives like "apply penalties to", "enact restrictions upon", or "levy embargoes against" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "impose sanctions on" or "impose sanctions against"?

"Impose sanctions on" is the more common and grammatically accepted phrasing. While "impose sanctions against" isn't incorrect, it's less frequently used.

What's the difference between "impose sanctions on" and "apply sanctions to"?

While both phrases are very similar, ""impose sanctions on"" implies the act of officially enacting or declaring the sanctions. "apply sanctions to" focuses more on the practical implementation of those already established sanctions.