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.

Approve vs. Agree — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Approve and Agree

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.

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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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman

Tayyaba 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.