license 1 of 2

variants or licence
Definition of licensenext

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
The license requires an applicant to register the owner’s name or the name of a local representative, physical address, phone number, email address, information on safety equipment, and a description of the property being rented. Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026 The awards are merit based and open to students pursuing education through certificate, license, two-year or four-year trade or technical school or university. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Bell pressed ahead with the show, loon references and all, and licensed it to HBO. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026 The vacation was among those cited Friday by Sacramento County sheriff’s Detective Monica Bustamante in a review of personal expenses allegedly charged by Reina, 60, to the NPR affiliate licensed to Sacramento State. Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
  • Remove permissions that are not essential.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The seizure of one's property without the permission of the owner/possessor or a warrant.
    Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But for others, the funding comes at a steep price — the loss of autonomy in the form of accreditation and the need to adopt standardized testing.
    Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The foundation is an independent nonprofit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation, and other recognition programs.
    Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • States participate in that system to promote safety — not to revisit or reinterpret federal work-authorization determinations during traffic stops.
    Bhupinder Kaur, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Blanche sought authorization to perform a PIT maneuver with the Accord to end the pursuit, which was granted by Sgt.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • On Friday, Anthropic announced new legal, finance and product marketing capabilities for its Claude Cowork productivity tool, and released the plugins under an open-source license, enabling customization.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2026
  • These devices also have the potential to enable portable power generation, for example, to run small sensors in remote locations, according to a press release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Per the consent order, Humpal is set to pay the more than $33,000 for fish kill and investigative costs, plus a $5,000 administrative fee by September 2027.
    Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Walter could no longer swallow, and required the placement of a feeding tube—a surgery that was postponed three times because, according to doctors, Guojun refused to provide consent.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Followers like Amresh Chawla say they are drawn to the group’s tenets of vegetarianism and strict moral code, specifically the mandate to shun intoxicants.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Lawmakers should invest in infrastructure, fund water projects and conservation, reduce unfunded mandates, and reward communities that plan responsibly and make development pay its own way.
    Sean Parks, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Auroras are typically confined to high latitudes near Earth's north and south magnetic poles, making sightings in the Southern Hemisphere this far north of Antarctica very rare.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Either way, the result is a higher chance for Arctic air to reach mid-latitudes, though a split usually signals a more persistent winter pattern.
    Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Estee Lauder sued Walmart in California federal court over allegations the big-box retailer sold counterfeit beauty products on its website and didn’t do enough to ensure only authorized and authentic merchandise was offered to consumers.
    Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The sources spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the case.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

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