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

However, many of the provisions added late Thursday make minimal changes to the 56 reforms included when the bill was last reauthorized in 2024. —Emily Brooks, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2026

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, expires next week unless it’s reauthorized. —Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026

Trump posted on social media in 2024, when the provision was last reauthorized. —ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026

The House will consider legislation reauthorizing warrantless surveillance. —Adam Beam, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 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