reauthorize

verb

re·​au·​tho·​rize (ˌ)rē-ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz 

reauthorized; reauthorizing; reauthorizes

transitive verb

: to authorize (something or someone) again

especially : to renew the authority or effective legal power, warrant, or right of

called for Congress to reauthorize the Clean Water Act

Since passage, each law has been amended or "reauthorized," a confusing process under which existing statutes are reenacted with new language.

—Gregg Easterbrook

reauthorization

(ˌ)rē-ˌȯ-th(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

plural reauthorizations

Congressional leaders are expected to continue negotiating a long-term reauthorization of the program in the coming weeks.

—Mike Debonis

Examples of reauthorize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Voters have overwhelmingly reauthorized the program, most recently gaining nearly 80% of the vote in 2016. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

The Voting Rights Act was reauthorized four times by the Congress, each time with overwhelming bipartisan support. — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 8 July 2026

Legislators could not agree to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. — Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026

The bill also reauthorizes and then modernizes the HOME Investments Partnership Program, a federal block grant program that seeks to boost building and buying affordable housing and provides rental assistance to low-income households. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for reauthorize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize