without his approval

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "without his approval" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when indicating that an action or decision is made without seeking or obtaining consent from a specific person. Example: "She decided to move forward with the project without his approval, believing it was in the best interest of the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No expense of $1,000 or more could be paid without his approval, and for a time he had to approve every outgoing letter.

The New York Times - Sports

Judges cannot be appointed without his approval.

The New York Times

"We never printed a word about Trump without his approval".

The New Yorker

But, he said, the booker was acting without his approval.

The New York Times - Arts

"We do not do anything without his approval," he added.

The New York Times

It's doubtful that the Iranian parliament will act without his approval.

The New Yorker

"The prime minister is surrounded by yes people who won't make a decision without his approval".

The New York Times

As a consequence, you couldn't even amend a bill without his approval.

The New Yorker

"Certain transactions cannot be undertaken" without his approval, the company said.

The Washington Post

"Nothing gets done without his approval, so Sarkozy is getting what he wanted".

The New York Times

I told my father that I was going to America, with or without his approval.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "without his approval", ensure it's clear who "his" refers to in the context to avoid ambiguity. For instance, clarify whose approval is needed if multiple male figures are involved.

Common error

Be careful not to assume that silence or lack of explicit disapproval equals consent. Actions taken "without his approval" should reflect a genuine absence of explicit permission, not just a lack of explicit objection.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without his approval" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used adverbially to modify a verb, indicating the manner in which an action was performed. It specifies that the action occurred lacking the consent or permission of a particular male individual. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "without his approval" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that an action or decision occurred without the consent or permission of a specific male individual. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in news, business, and general contexts. While it's generally acceptable, consider clarifying who "his" refers to and whether explicit consent was indeed absent. For more formal situations, alternatives such as "absent his consent" or "not having his authorization" may be preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

without his permission

Replaces 'approval' with the direct synonym 'permission'.

absent his consent

Uses 'consent' instead of 'approval' and 'absent' to convey the lack of permission.

not having his authorization

Substitutes 'approval' with 'authorization' and uses a gerund phrase to express the action.

lacking his endorsement

Replaces 'approval' with 'endorsement' and uses 'lacking' to indicate the absence of support.

bereft of his okay

Employs 'bereft of' for 'without' and uses the more informal 'okay' in place of 'approval'.

independent of his sanction

Replaces 'approval' with 'sanction' and frames the phrase to emphasize independence from his endorsement.

ignoring his assent

Focuses on the act of disregarding his agreement or positive response.

contrary to his wishes

Shifts the focus to his 'wishes' implying that the action goes against what he desires.

in defiance of his agreement

Implies a more active resistance to his implied or explicit agreement, rather than just a lack of approval.

unbeknownst to him

Indicates that the person was not aware of the action being taken, rather than focusing on the lack of approval.

FAQs

What does "without his approval" mean?

The phrase "without his approval" means that an action or decision was made without seeking or receiving permission or consent from a specific male individual.

What can I say instead of "without his approval"?

You can use alternatives like "without his consent", "without his permission", or "lacking his endorsement" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to specify the gender when using "without approval"?

Specifying the gender with "his" clarifies whose approval is needed, especially when multiple people are involved. If the gender is irrelevant or unknown, consider using a more general term like "without authorization".

How formal is the phrase "without his approval"?

The phrase "without his approval" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal settings, consider using alternatives like "absent his consent" or "not having his authorization".