approving
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /əˈpruːvɪŋ/
KK: /əˈpruːvɪŋ/
adjective
Definition
Showing that you think something is good or acceptable.
Example
She gave him an approving nod after he finished his presentation.
Conversation
Did you see the way Mr. Smith gave us an approving nod during the presentation?
Yeah, it felt great to have his support like that!
I think his approving attitude really boosted our confidence.
Absolutely! It makes all the hard work feel worth it.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
supportive
favorable
commendatory
Antonyms
disapproving
critical
unfavorable
verb
Definition
To show that you think something is good or acceptable.
Example
The teacher was approving of the student's hard work.
Tense Forms
Past: approved
Past Participle: approved
Conversation
Did you see the teacher approving our project today?
Yeah, I was surprised how much she liked it!
I thought she would be harder on us, but her reaction was great.
Root Explanation
Approving is formed from "approve" (from Old French *aprover*, meaning to test or prove) and "-ing" (a suffix used to form present participles). The word "approving" means the act of expressing approval or agreement.
Memory Tip
Think of the word 'approve' as testing or proving something to be good, and the '-ing' indicates that this is an ongoing action of expressing agreement.
Visually Confused Words
unapproving
proving
unapprovingly
roving