unauthorized

adjective

Definition of unauthorizednext
as in improper
without permission; not authorized an unauthorized use of government vehicles Unauthorized personnel are not allowed in the building.

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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 unauthorized Another North Carolina officer faces a similar charge for conducting an unauthorized license plate search, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in July. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 The probe monitors the device’s instruction set for unauthorized modifications. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 Anthropic and OpenAI have accused Chinese open-weight model makers of large-scale, unauthorized distillation, a technique used to copy proprietary AI models. — Christopher K. Tong, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 But while ripoffs and dodgy reboots are common in horror, some of the weirdest unauthorized sequels are the result of an obsessed fan self-financing a tribute to their favorite movie. — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unauthorized
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unauthorized
  1. improper
  2. illicit
  3. unlawful
  4. inappropriate
  5. unacceptable
  6. illegitimate
Adjective
  • His brother, Eugene, who also reported the phone call as being improper, was elected to Congress in 2024 from Virginia.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Jeanie’s attorney, Adam Streisand of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton Law, argued in the letter sent to her siblings’ attorneys that two previous legal rulings render that strategy improper.
    — Sam Amick, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of improper
Adjective
  • Officials with family connections abroad have long been a target of Beijing’s anti-corruption watchdog – oversight designed to eliminate the opportunity to transfer illicit funds abroad.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Vietnam is a major hub for the illicit trade of wildlife, dead and alive.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of illicit
Adjective
  • The party also viewed Yabloko’s stance on Ukraine as unlawful and tantamount to calling for the violation of Russia’s territorial integrity.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The duo and two others, Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, were hit with the worst charges — felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, and other related offenses.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • Pat is a little bit like an inappropriate uncle at a family gathering in the 1970s.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Montana did not directly answer questions about the decision to choose BCBS over Allegiance and whether there was inappropriate contact among state officials.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inappropriate
Adjective
  • Still, only 28% of readers said that AI use is unacceptable in all of the circumstances presented by the survey.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Intervene Intervene means several signals—or one sufficiently consequential event—indicate probable deterioration or unacceptable outcomes.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Federal judges have quashed many of the subpoenas as illegitimate efforts to intimidate providers into ending care.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But that’s forcing them to wrestle with the idea that any action taken by a party is illegitimate, anti-democratic rigging — something the other team can use to depress the base.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of illegitimate

Browse Nearby Words

unauthentic
unauthorized
unavailability
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Cite this Entry

“Unauthorized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unauthorized. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unauthorized

Nglish: Translation of unauthorized for Spanish Speakers

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