legal sanction
Court-imposed consequence
Legal sanction has two nearly opposite meanings.
It can mean official permission or approval—a government's sanction of an activity makes it lawful.
Or it can mean a penalty imposed for violating a law or rule: The judge imposed sanctions for filing frivolous motions.
Context usually clarifies which sense applies.
International sanctions are punitive measures against nations.
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
- slap on the wristTrivially lenient penalty
- fineAcceptable in quality
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
approval · authorization · regulatory approval · permit · embargo · prohibition · court · judge · gavel · court order · compliance · decree · mandate · cease and desist · restraint · due process · censure · boycott
legal sanctionban
Official restriction on something
criminal act · proscription · unlawful conduct · illegality · outlawing
legal sanctionvigilante justice
Unauthorized punishment by civilians
mob justice · lynching · summary execution · vigilantism · revenge
legal sanctionamnesty
Group pardon from authorities
pardon · legal protection · exoneration · acquittal · clemency
legal, legally, legality, legalize, legalization, illegal, illegally, illegality, sanction