Approve vs. Agree — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 19, 2024
Approve involves formal consent or sanction, focusing on authorization; whereas agree emphasizes consensus or harmony in opinions or actions.
Difference Between Approve and Agree
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Key Differences
Approve refers to the act of formally accepting or validating something, often by someone in a position of authority, emphasizing an official endorsement. Whereas agree pertains to a mutual understanding or a shared decision among individuals, highlighting personal or collective consent without the need for official authority.
In a workplace setting, a manager may approve a project proposal, which indicates a formal authorization to proceed. On the other hand, coworkers might agree on the approach to the project, indicating a harmonious decision-making process.
Approve is often used in scenarios requiring formal sanction, such as approving laws, policies, or financial expenditures. Whereas agree is commonly used in informal settings or conversations, reflecting a concurrence of opinion or a deal between parties.
Documents, plans, or specific actions require approval from someone in charge or with the right authority. On the other hand, agreements can be informal and are typically between equals, such as friends agreeing on where to meet.
The process of approval generally involves a review and decision by a higher authority. In contrast, agreeing is more about negotiation or discussion until a common ground is reached among all parties involved.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Official sanction or authorization
Consensus or harmony in opinion or decisions
Usage Context
Formal and requires authority
Informal and can occur among equals
Authority Involvement
Yes, typically involves someone in a higher position
No, it involves mutual consent among participants
Outcome
Leads to official or formal validation
Results in mutual understanding or arrangement
Example of Application
A board approves a budget increase
Two parties agree on contract terms
Compare with Definitions
Approve
To officially accept or allow something.
The committee will approve the new policy during the next meeting.
Agree
To come to a mutual decision.
After much discussion, the co-authors agreed on the book's title.
Approve
To sanction formally for implementation.
The director approved the budget for the upcoming project.
Agree
To consent or accept a proposal or plan.
They agreed to the terms of the lease.
Approve
To find something satisfactory or acceptable.
She approved the final draft of the article.
Agree
To acknowledge and accept something.
He agreed that the criticism was fair.
Approve
To endorse a decision or suggestion.
The manager approved the shift changes suggested by the team.
Agree
To concur in a statement or position.
We all agree that safety comes first.
Approve
To confirm or ratify something previously provisional.
The final approval of the plans came through yesterday.
Agree
To have the same opinion or view.
Both economists agree on the cause of the inflation.
Approve
To consent to officially or formally; confirm or sanction
The Senate approved the treaty.
Agree
To share an opinion or feeling; be in accord
I agree with you on that. We agree in our taste in music.
Approve
To consider right or good
"He came to ask me ... whether I approved his choice altogether" (Jane Austen).
Agree
To express consent; concur
We agreed to her suggestion.
Approve
(Obsolete)To prove or attest.
Agree
To accept or support a policy or program
I agree with the flat tax.
Approve
To show, feel, or express approval
We didn't approve of the decision.
Agree
To come to an understanding or agreement, as by negotiating
We agreed on the price.
Approve
(transitive) To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.
Although we may disagree with it, we must nevertheless approve the sentence handed down by the court-martial.
Agree
To be compatible or consistent
The copy agrees with the original. Your story agrees with mine.
Approve
(transitive) To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.
We approve the measure of the administration, for it is an excellent decision.
Agree
To be suitable, appropriate, pleasing, or healthful
Spicy food does not agree with me.
Approve
To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
Agree
(Grammar) To correspond in gender, number, case, or person.
Approve
To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept.
Her mother never approves of any of her boyfriends. She thinks nobody is good enough for her little girl.
Agree
To share an opinion about (something)
My doctor and I agree that I should quit smoking.
Approve
To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of.
Agree
To grant or concede
My parents agreed that we should be allowed to go. I agreed to help my parents clean the house.
Approve
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.
Agree
(intransitive) To be in harmony about an opinion, statement, or action; to have a consistent idea between two or more people.
All parties agree in the expediency of the law.
I mostly agree with what you said, but I consider your last point to be unfair.
I couldn't agree more with what you say.
Approve
To show to be real or true; to prove.
Wouldst thou approve thy constancy? ApproveFirst thy obedience.
Agree
To give assent; to accede
To agree to an offer, or to opinion.
The workers didn not agree to the new terms offered by the trade union.
Approve
To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
Opportunities to approve . . . worth.
He had approved himself a great warrior.
'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.
His account . . . approves him a man of thought.
Agree
To yield assent to; to approve.
Approve
To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm; as, to approve the decision of a court-martial.
Agree
(intransitive) 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.
Approve
To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of; as, we approve the measured of the administration.
Agree
(intransitive) To resemble; to coincide; to correspond.
The picture does not agree with the original; the two scales agree exactly.
Approve
To make or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.
They had not approved of the deposition of James.
They approved of the political institutions.
Agree
To suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well.
The same food does not agree with every constitution.
Approve
To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit; - said esp. of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.
Agree
To correspond to (another word) in a grammatical category, such as gender, number, case, or person.
In Romanian, all articles, adjectives, and pronouns agree in gender, number and case with the noun they refer to.
Approve
Give sanction to;
I approve of his educational policies
Agree
To consent to a contract or to an element of a contract.
Approve
Judge to be right or commendable; think well of
Agree
To harmonize in opinion, statement, or action; to be in unison or concord; to be or become united or consistent; to concur; as, all parties agree in the expediency of the law.
If music and sweet poetry agree.
Their witness agreed not together.
The more you agree together, the less hurt can your enemies do you.
Agree
To yield assent; to accede; - followed by to; as, to agree to an offer, or to opinion.
Agree
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.
Agree with thine adversary quickly.
Didst not thou agree with me for a penny ?
Agree
To be conformable; to resemble; to coincide; to correspond; as, the picture does not agree with the original; the two scales agree exactly.
Agree
To suit or be adapted in its effects; to do well; as, the same food does not agree with every constitution.
Agree
To correspond in gender, number, case, or person.
Agree
To make harmonious; to reconcile or make friends.
Agree
To admit, or come to one mind concerning; to settle; to arrange; as, to agree the fact; to agree differences.
Agree
Be in accord; be in agreement;
We agreed on the terms of the settlement
I can't agree with you!
I hold with those who say life is sacred
Both philosophers concord on this point
Agree
Consent or assent to a condition, or agree to do something;
She agreed to all my conditions
He agreed to leave her alone
Agree
Be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics;
The two stories don't agree in many details
The handwriting checks with the signature on the check
The suspect's fingerprints don't match those on the gun
Agree
Go together;
The colors don't harmonize
Their ideas concorded
Agree
Show grammatical agreement;
Subjects and verbs must always agree in English
Agree
Be agreeable or suitable;
White wine doesn't agree with me
Agree
Achieve harmony of opinion, feeling, or purpose;
No two of my colleagues would agree on whom to elect chairman
Common Curiosities
Does approval always imply agreement
No, one can approve something as part of their role without personally agreeing with it.
What happens if parties cannot agree
If parties cannot agree, it may lead to negotiations, use of a mediator, or abandonment of a plan.
Are agreements legally binding
Some agreements, especially when formalized in contracts, are legally binding.
Can a person approve and agree at the same time
Yes, a person can approve something formally while also personally agreeing with it.
What is needed for an agreement to take place
An agreement typically requires mutual consent and understanding among all parties involved.
Can approval be withdrawn
Yes, approval can be withdrawn if circumstances change or if further review dictates.
How does agreeing differ from approving in a business context
Agreeing involves mutual decisions among parties, while approving requires formal consent from an authority.
How do you secure approval in a corporate setting
Securing approval often involves presenting cases or proposals to those in authority.
What is the primary focus of approval
Approval focuses on formal authorization or sanction.
Why is approval important in organizations
Approval is crucial for formal governance and to ensure decisions comply with organizational or legal standards.
What are some synonyms for agree
Some synonyms for agree are concur, consent, and accord.
What are some synonyms for approve
Some synonyms for approve are endorse, sanction, and ratify.
Can agreement be informal
Yes, agreements can be informal, like agreeing on a place to meet.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
