三個單詞均有批準(zhǔn)同意的含義。其中，approval為通常用語，多用于指同意承擔(dān)一任務(wù)等情況[1]。sanction較approval正式，一般用于正式行文中[2]，需要注意的是sanction同時又具有制裁的含義，故應(yīng)當(dāng)隨時分清其用法。approbation為最正式的單詞，常表示宗教意義上的權(quán)威性批準(zhǔn)[3]。

[1]“Approval is the most general and least formal of these. In the official context, it usually means the giving of permission to undertake a task. ”Cf. The Editors of the Reader's Digest, Use the Right Word, at p. 19, The Reader's Digest Association Proprietary Ltd. (1971).

[2]“Explicit or official approval. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary，abridged 6th edition，at p. 442，West Publishing Co. (1991).

[3]“ Approbation, the most formal of these, refers to the giving of authoritative approval, especially in an ecclesiastical context. ”Cf. The Editors of the Reader's Digest, Use the Right Word, at p. 19, The Reader's Digest Association Proprietary Ltd. (1971).