variants
or licence
1
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something
the company is seeking license to operate several more power plants in the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delegation
the granting of power to perform various acts or duties
a restaurant owner has to get a license to serve food and drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in authorization
the right to act or move freely
military commanders on the ground must be granted considerable license, as wars cannot be micromanaged by people back in Washington
Synonyms & Similar Words
variants
also licence
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to
a state statute licenses county sheriffs to choose their own deputies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2025
As a secondary issue, Good asked how the loss of King’s license affects his deputies, who are appointed by the sheriff and derive their authority from him.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
Joanna Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
As of 2025, the state’s Natural Medicine Division has begun licensing psilocybin healing centers, which follows Colorado’s recreational legalization of cannabis for people 21 and over in 2014.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for license
Noun
The energy department said being selected to receive the plutonium could help companies secure faster approval for a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license, which is required to operate a nuclear facility, reported Financial Times.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2025
As a secondary issue, Good asked how the loss of King’s license affects his deputies, who are appointed by the sheriff and derive their authority from him.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Roughly 30% of jobs in California require a person to be licensed, and many of those licenses are off-limits for people with old convictions.
—Joanna Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Oct. 2025
As of 2025, the state’s Natural Medicine Division has begun licensing psilocybin healing centers, which follows Colorado’s recreational legalization of cannabis for people 21 and over in 2014.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
-
Customers in Texas and Arizona can receive parcels from the flying delivery liaisons, and Amazon has received beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) permissions from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which means the drones can, theoretically, start to scale for delivery.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
-
There’s a particular kind of excellence that happens when Black women stop waiting for permission and just build.—
Essence,
Essence,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Minister Counsellor Li Liyan of the Chinese Embassy welcomed the Shanghai delegation by highlighting the scale of China’s creative output.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
-
In recent weeks, officials from New Delhi and Washington have focused on diplomacy to get the relationship back on track, with trade delegations focusing on closing a deal.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Equity members have already voted in favor of a strike authorization.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 Oct. 2025
-
This practice has led some US lawmakers to push for repealing these authorizations, as Congress looks to wrestle back some authority over war powers and foreign policy.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Not every such deprivation becomes a literal matter of life and death as in the play, but making use of such scenarios enables Shakespeare to highlight more effectively the danger of arbitrary action.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Amorim’s strategy to go direct against Liverpool worked to nullify their press and the same approach, enabling United to start play closer to the final third, looks sensible against Brighton, too.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Figure’s business centers around putting mortgages on the blockchain, which the company says speeds up the granting and funding of home loans.—
Jason Del Rey,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The last one standing is rewarded with a financial windfall and the granting of a single wish, any wish.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.—
Elizabeth Denton,
StyleCaster,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Under California’s felony murder rule, a defendant can be charged with murder if a death occurs, regardless of intent to kill, during the commission of a felony-level crime.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For many Black and Brown people in America, the outdoors was not a site of freedom but of exploitation and fear.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Without the requirement to protect majority-minority districts, Republicans would have far greater freedom to redraw congressional maps in ways that dilute the voting power of Black and other minority communities—areas that tend to favor Democrats.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The original iteration of Mojaveland ran from 2021 to 2023, but had to close due to accessibility and permitting issues.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share