authorize

verb

ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz How to pronounce authorize (audio)
Definition of authorizenext
1
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to only the school nurse is authorized to give any necessary shots

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to entitle
to give a right to this pass will authorize you to go backstage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to approve
to give official acceptance of as satisfactory a system for sound reproduction that has been authorized as meeting the electronic industry's highest standards

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of authorize The inspector general’s office has been reviewing county and city governments since 2010, and voters authorized the expansion to the School Board through a ballot measure in November 2024. — Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 The City Council on Tuesday authorized the city to submit two projects for Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 An agent should never inherit broader access than the person who authorized it, and it should be bound to a purpose. — Alan Rencher, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. — Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for authorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorize
  1. enable
  2. entitle
  3. approve
  4. empower
  5. qualify
  6. ratify
  7. permit
  8. confirm
Verb
  • These event listeners enhance accessibility by enabling form submission or closure // when the user presses either the 'Enter' or 'Space' key.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Consider Inside Membership a slick, Uber-like alternative to traditional PR agencies, streamlining the process of bookings, content creation and measurement of ROI, since it’s all enabled by proprietary technology.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of enable
Verb
  • The department argued that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 entitled it to the unredacted records.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • If the housekeeper rejects the reduced award, the judge said, Brown will be entitled to a new trial limited to damages.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of entitle
Verb
  • The allegations come after the California Department of Human Resources sent a notice in February 2022 outlining that departments cannot approve employee requests to regularly work from out-of-state locations.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The consent agenda is intended to approve items with broad or unanimous agreement.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of approve
Verb
  • Is the integration management office strategically empowered with the authority, accountability and federated PMO ecosystem needed to orchestrate people, partners and workstreams across both entities through go-live?
    — Tipu Usha Vaithee Swaran, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, one of the oldest dilemmas facing autocrats is how to empower agents to carry out orders without also enabling them to turn against their leader.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of empower
Verb
  • By state law, the California State University, California Community Colleges and all higher education institutions that qualify for Cal Grant financial aid must adopt these policies.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Through it all, Pi-o and Jeong-yo’s intense, often tender relationship serves as a throughline, bringing many viewers to question if the Netflix series qualifies as a boys’ love (aka BL) drama.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of qualify
Verb
  • Unionized staff at the Whitney Museum in New York ratified its second contract Sunday night, hours ahead a strike deadline, narrowly heading off a disruption to the opening of a forthcoming Roy Lichtenstein retrospective.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Spain’s government on Friday lost two key votes to ratify a package of emergency measures aimed at tackling the nation’s housing affordability crisis, while protesters marched on the parliament demanding help for renters.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of ratify
Verb
  • Buyers must be approved by the board and financing is not permitted.
    — Mark David, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Or, if the objective is to assess a student’s knowledge of historical events, an instructor might permit the use of AI for proofreading.
    — Melissa Loble, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of permit
Verb
  • That list was culled to 1,015 firms, and finalists completed surveys to confirm key details.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • If the testing confirms that the drug is what the pharmacy claims, that specific lot is approved for compounding.
    — Alana Semuels, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of confirm

Browse Nearby Words

authorizations
authorize
authorized
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Cite this Entry

“Authorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorize. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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