license 1 of 2

variants or licence

license

2 of 2

verb

variants also licence

Synonym Chooser

How is the word license different from other nouns like it?

The words freedom and liberty are common synonyms of license. While all three words mean "the power or condition of acting without compulsion," license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

Where would freedom be a reasonable alternative to license?

Although the words freedom and license have much in common, freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

When is it sensible to use liberty instead of license?

The synonyms liberty and license are sometimes interchangeable, but liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

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 license
Noun
And then — four years later — the state gave his license back. Calmatters, Mercury News, 9 July 2025 That 2022 license had allowed Chevron and other firms to operate in Venezuela despite U.S. sanctions targeting the regime’s finances and oil sector. Antonio Maria Delgado july 9, Miami Herald, 9 July 2025
Verb
After building these profiles, brokers sell or license them to anyone who will pay. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025 In the end, Gavidia used his Real ID drivers license to prove citizenship, after being unable to recall the name of the hospital. Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
  • Reprinted with permission from Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
    Ekow Eshun July 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
  • Noni Madueke has been given permission by Chelsea to undergo a medical with Arsenal.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • A little more than a week later, Pham led a delegation of faith leaders to accompany immigrants attending court hearings at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 June 2025
  • The update came with a video of King Philippe speaking to the delegation.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The wastewater testing program would need authorization from the legislature.
    Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • In 2020, then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr authorized prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the Saenz brothers, but President Joe Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, withdrew that authorization in November 2023.
    John Annese, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Offshore and domestic trusts can be structured to enable generational transfer while preserving legal separation.
    Blake Harris, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • The Tapo app detects motion and enables you to set activity zones and privacy zones.
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • The House bill would remove Martínez López, along with fellow ANC member Jingwen Sun, from the voter rolls and from their posts on the commission.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 1 July 2025
  • Ultimately, wildlife commissions have a responsibility to all state citizens—not simply the most vocal. FWC employs more than 2,000 full-time fish and wildlife experts, with many possessing advanced degrees.
    Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The club have given me this bit of freedom to make a decision.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • In 18th-century slave-holding Brazil, Anna Borges fought for her freedom.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2025
  • In 2018, Amazon and Apple Inc. struck a deal that permitted Amazon to sell the latest iPhones and other products.
    Glen Luke Flanagan, Fortune, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • These are used to target you with aggressive refinancing offers, alarm system ads, or moving service promotions.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
  • The new report also found that news, promotion, informational and interactive programming writers also saw a nearly 26% decline in work.
    Rosa Escandon, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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