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
Its business license expired on June 7, 2024, according to Washington Department of Revenue records. James Powel, USA Today, 13 June 2025 Following reports of the rare-earth license concession, global equity markets ticked higher, echoing relief seen after the Geneva truce. Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Verb
The show will launch on Youtube and will be available for licensing by traditional TV channels and platforms. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 June 2025 The New York Times Co. has reached a deal to license its editorial content to Amazon.com Inc. for use across its artificial intelligence platforms, marking the first such agreement the newspaper company has struck after years of battles between the media and a new, disruptive technology. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
  • By mapping who has access to what and why, these tools help identify unnecessary permissions, enforce least-privilege access and eliminate redundancies (full disclosure: Gathid offers this solution).
    Leslie Milne, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Reddit sued Anthropic on Wednesday, accusing the startup of training its artificial intelligence (AI) models on the popular forum without permission.
    Julia Shapero, The Hill, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The American delegation will be led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • The delegation hoped to get answers on whether a recent directive had been issued calling for additional enforcement actions outside of courthouses.
    Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • The government is also now appealing to the public to help find and deport people in the country without authorization.
    Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
  • UniCredit has built a surprise stake in Commerzbank of 28% since September through derivatives and has the European Central Bank's authorization to hold up to 29.9% in the lender.
    Chloe Taylor,Jenni Reid,Ganesh Rao,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 June 2025
Verb
  • And this summer, the calculations have been further complicated by FIFA allowing an additional, earlier short summer window to enable clubs competing in the upcoming Club World Cup to bolster their squads before the tournament.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 16 June 2025
  • By 2001, Marlena had been approved for a low-income housing voucher, enabling the sisters – and their mom – to move into a five-bedroom home.
    Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Noun
  • When the commission met this week, Hahn emphasized that the various uses of the property are seasonal.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
  • Like insurance brokers, many retirement plan administrators operate on a commission or fee-for-service basis—ask upfront. Payroll Services.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • However, Gomez said, the overall takeaway from the L.A. event was just how pervasive the sense of fear for press freedom has become.
    Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
  • Shortly after, Mars will square Uranus on June 15, creating a volatile energy between your desire for personal freedom and autonomy, versus unpredictable events that shake up your day-to-day routines and sense of stability.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • His administration has accused the schools of allowing antisemitism and facilitating the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda by permitting the campus protests, which free-speech advocates say are protected by the First Amendment.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • Teams are permitted to have up to 35 players in their squad at the start of the tournament (and must have a minimum of 26).
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Make Promotions Default Milkman and Pink advocate for a shift in promotion practices, suggesting that organizations should make promotions the default rather than requiring individuals to opt-in.
    Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • The event will feature wrestlers from both promotions as well as performers from Total Nonstop Action.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

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