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

Across the region, Latin America’s legal cannabis market is expected to reach $3.75 billion by 2028, with Brazil accounting for a significant share, especially if CBD flower is reauthorized for import in the coming months, opening an entirely new vertical for digital platforms. —Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025

President Pro Tem Mike McGuire would work to extend cap-and-trade, which is set to expire in 2030 and must be reauthorized by the Legislature. —Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2025

The program has long benefited from bipartisan support, having been reauthorized by Congress four times. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 16 July 2025

The budget agreement does not reauthorize the cap-and-trade program and leaves many of those questions unanswered for later in the session or next year. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 27 June 2025

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