unsanctioned

adjective

un·​sanc·​tioned ˌən-ˈsaŋ(k)-shənd How to pronounce unsanctioned (audio)
Synonyms of unsanctionednext
: lacking effective or authoritative approval or consent : not sanctioned
an unsanctioned boxing match
… a solution unsanctioned by educated custom …Edward Finegan

Examples of unsanctioned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to court documents, campus police officers decided not to shut down the unsanctioned party. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 Authorities said a shooting Saturday night that wounded four people near an Arden Arcade park was believed to be connected to UC Davis’ annual Picnic Day, where city and university officials had increased police presence and cracked down on unsanctioned gatherings. Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026 The tradition has carried on, however, as an unsanctioned event on the beach for decades, and has primarily been marketed to HBCU students in the southeast. Irene Wright, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026 The contradiction runs so deep that 62% of those same executives privately concede that the risk of unsanctioned shadow AI is overstated compared to the risk of not leveraging AI at all. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsanctioned

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsanctioned was in 1785

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsanctioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsanctioned. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on unsanctioned

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster