authorize
verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz 
authorized; authorizing; authorizes
1
: to endorse, empower, justify, or permit by or as if by some recognized or proper authority (such as custom, evidence, personal right, or regulating power)
a custom authorized by time
2
: to invest especially with legal authority : empower
He is authorized to act for his father.
3
archaic
: justify sense 1a
authorizer
noun
Examples of authorize in a Sentence
The city council authorized the sale of the land.
Who authorized the transfer of the funds?
Recent Examples on the Web
The warrant authorized investigators to obtain records from Meta Platforms related to two Facebook accounts as part of an investigation into whether city resources were improperly used for political purposes.
—
Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 20 Dec. 2025
The legislation authorizing the referendum called for the establishment of a new board to oversee transit.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Dec. 2025
The expectation is that the US schedule will be close to, if not identical to, recommendations in Denmark, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about the matter.
—Adam Cancryn, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who came out of retirement in 2023, has at times personally reached out to prospective candidates to recruit them, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for authorize
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Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 20 Dec. 2025
The legislation authorizing the referendum called for the establishment of a new board to oversee transit.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Dec. 2025
The expectation is that the US schedule will be close to, if not identical to, recommendations in Denmark, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about the matter.
—Adam Cancryn, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who came out of retirement in 2023, has at times personally reached out to prospective candidates to recruit them, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for authorize
Cite this Entry
“Authorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authorize. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authorize
verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz
authorized; authorizing
1
: to give authority to
2
: to give legal or official approval to
authorization
noun
ˌȯ-th(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən
authorizer
noun
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrī-zər
Legal Definition
authorize
transitive verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz
authorized; authorizing
1
: to give permission to
2
: to give authority to act to
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