Subject to approval

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

The phrase "subject to approval" is used to indicate that an action, agreement, or plan is not final until it has been officially approved by a designated authority. For example, "The merger is "subject to approval" by regulators" means the merger won't proceed unless regulators approve it.

You can use alternatives like "contingent on approval", "dependent on authorization", or "requires sanctioning" depending on the specific context and level of formality.

While both phrases mean something requires approval, "conditional upon approval" often emphasizes the conditionality more strongly. "Subject to approval" is a more general statement, whereas "conditional upon approval" explicitly states the condition that must be met.

"Subject to approval" is generally considered more formal than "pending approval". "Pending approval" implies that the approval process is underway, while "subject to approval" simply states the requirement for approval without indicating the stage of the process.