sanction vs confirm

sanction is a noun but confirm is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
sanction	Yes	No	Yes	No
confirm	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, confirm is a hyponym of sanction; that is, confirm is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than sanction:

Other hyponyms of sanction include sanctify, sanction, visa, back, endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support, greenlight.

sanction (noun)	confirm (noun)
the act of final authorization
a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards
official permission or approval
formal and explicit approval

sanction (verb)	confirm (verb)
give sanction to	make more firm
give religious sanction to, such as through an oath	establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
give authority or permission to	strengthen or make more firm
	administer the rite of confirmation to
	support a person for a position