UNLICENSED Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

unlicensed

adjective

Definition of unlicensed

as in unauthorized

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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 unlicensed Beginning the next day, Pennsylvania State Police say unlicensed machines outside casinos and qualifying truck stops may be seized, and the businesses operating them could face prosecution. — Jonathan Caulkins, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 As of September 2026, there have been crackdowns on prediction markets and unlicensed operators. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 The suspect shot Bilgili with an unlicensed handgun following an argument, Cumhuriyet newspaper and other outlets reported, before he was detained. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 One of the biggest concerns highlighted in the latest annual report is the number of Failure to Place (FTP) episodes in 2025 where youth ended up spending the night in child welfare offices or unlicensed centers. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unlicensed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unlicensed

Adjective

The company said the model had demonstrated leaps in completing tasks, but OpenAI needed to balance that capability against unauthorized behavior.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
In July, Anthropic described three instances where its Claude models accessed the internet during an evaluation and gained unauthorized access to the real systems of three different organizations.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of unauthorized

Adjective

Over the past two months, companies including OpenAI and Anthropic disclosed multiple incidents in which their AI agents accessed the internet when they weren't supposed to and carried out unapproved activities.

— Katie McQue, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
Kratom has gained popularity as an unapproved treatment for pain, anxiety and drug dependence.

— Josh Feldman, NBC news, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of unapproved

Adjective

OpenAI had described instances where agents communicated with each other through unsanctioned message boards, uploaded files to the internet, and shared files with each other.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
Prompt injection, training data poisoning, model manipulation, agent permission abuse and the leakage of sensitive information into unsanctioned tools create new exposures and expand the attack surface.

— Rob Sloan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsanctioned

Adjective

Members of the board questioned the Menendez brothers during their hearing last year about violating prison rules, including using contraband cellphones.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Prior contraband attempts involved the launch of a drone from the dead end of Noe Street, just east of the facility, deputies said.

— Paula Wethington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of contraband

Adjective

The smuggled animals, which were imported from both Hong Kong and Mexico without permits, included Mexican beaded lizards, Mexican box turtles and Yucatan box turtles and baby crocodiles, prosecutors said.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 31 May 2026
Lang calls Atterton, who’s in his prison cell with a smuggled phone, to tell him the job is done and that both Bailey-Brown and Sam have been terminated.

— Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Mar. 2026

Definition of smuggled

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unlettered

unlicensed

unlikable

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“Unlicensed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unlicensed. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unlicensed

adjective

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