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Approve vs Agree - What's the difference?

approve | agree |

Agree is a synonym of approve.



In intransitive terms the difference between approve and agree

is that approve is to consider or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance while agree is to suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well.

As verbs the difference between approve and agree

is that approve is to sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm while agree is to harmonize in opinion, statement, or action; to be in unison or concord; to be or become united or consistent; to concur.

approve

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . Compare prove, approbate.

Verb

(approv)
  • To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Can China clean up fast enough? , passage=It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.}}
  • To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.
  • To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
  • * (Ralph Waldo Emerson),
    • Opportunities to approve worth.
  • * (Thomas Babington Macaulay),
    • He had approved himself a great warrior.
  • * (George Gordon Byron),
    • 'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.
  • * (Francis Parkman),
    • His accountapproves him a man of thought.
  • To consider or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
  • * (Henry Rogers),
    • The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.
  • * (Thomas Babington Macaulay),
    • They had not approved of the deposition of James.
  • * (William Black),
    • They approved of the political institutions.
    Note: This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of''), is often followed by ''of .
    Derived terms
    () * approval * approvable * I approve this message * approvably * approbation

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) aprouer; . Compare with improve.

    Verb

    (approv)
  • (English Law) To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit;—said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.

    • References

    *

    agree

    English

    Verb

  • To harmonize in opinion, statement, or action; to be in unison or concord; to be or become united or consistent; to concur.
    • all parties agree in the expediency of the law.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1594
    • , author=Thomas Lodge , title=The wounds of civil war: Lively set forth in the true tragedies of Marius and Scilla , page=46 , passage=You know that in so great a state as this, Two mightie foes can never well agree .}}
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • If music and sweet poetry agree .
  • * (rfdate) Mark xiv. 56.
    • Their witness agreed not together.
  • * (rfdate) Sir T. Browne
    • The more you agree together, the less hurt can your enemies do you.
  • To yield assent; to accede;—followed by to.
    • to agree to an offer, or to opinion.
  • (transitive, UK, Irish) To yield assent to; to approve.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1666
    • , author=Samuel Pepys , title=The Diary of Samuel Pepys , page=88 , passage=... and there, after a good while in discourse, we did agree a bargain of £5,000 with Sir Roger Cuttance for my Lord Sandwich for silk, cinnamon, ...}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=2005
    • , author=Paddy McNutt , title=Law, economics and antitrust: towards a new perspective , page=59 , passage=The essential idea is that parties should enter the market, choose their contractors, set their own terms and agree a bargain.}}
  • * 2011 April 3, John Burke, in The Sunday Business Post :
    • Bishops agree sex abuse rules
  • To make a stipulation by way of settling differences or determining a price; to exchange promises; to come to terms or to a common resolve; to promise.
  • * (rfdate) Matt. v. 25.
    • Agree with thine adversary quickly.
  • * (rfdate) Matt. xx. 13.
    • Didst not thou agree with me for a penny ?
  • To be conformable; to resemble; to coincide; to correspond.
    • the picture does not agree with the original; the two scales agree exactly.
  • To suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well.
    • the same food does not agree with every constitution.
  • (grammar) To correspond to in gender, number, case, or person.
  • (legal) To consent to a contract or to an element of a contract.

    • Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See * The transitive usage could be considered as just an omission of to'' or ''upon . * US and Canadian English do not use the transitive form. Thus "they agreed on a price" or "they agreed to the conditions" are used in North America but not "they agreed a price" or "they agreed the conditions".

    Synonyms

    * assent, concur, consent, acquiesce, accede, engage, promise, stipulate, contract, bargain, correspond, harmonize, fit, tally, coincide, comport

    Antonyms

    * disagree

    Derived terms

    * disagree * disagreement

    External links

    * *

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * * English reporting verbs 1000 English basic words