authorize
verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz 
authorized; authorizing; authorizes
1
: to endorse, empower, justify, or permit by or as if by some recognized or proper authority (such as custom, evidence, personal right, or regulating power)
a custom authorized by time
2
: to invest especially with legal authority : empower
He is authorized to act for his father.
3
archaic
: justify sense 1a
authorizer
noun
Examples of authorize in a Sentence
The city council authorized the sale of the land.
Who authorized the transfer of the funds?
Recent Examples on the Web
Also, only Congress has the authority to authorize spending and independent agencies were set up to be out of the reach of the executive branch, but neither check is being respected.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Four years after the photo was taken, Gandhi would authorize a devastating attack on the Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest site.
—Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 23 May 2026
The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, said a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.
—Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
The document’s sudden appearance sparked internal confusion about how the policy came about and who authorized it, the staffers said.
—Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for authorize
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Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Four years after the photo was taken, Gandhi would authorize a devastating attack on the Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest site.
—Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 23 May 2026
The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, said a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.
—Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
The document’s sudden appearance sparked internal confusion about how the policy came about and who authorized it, the staffers said.
—Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for authorize
Cite this Entry
“Authorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authorize. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authorize
verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz
authorized; authorizing
1
: to give authority to
2
: to give legal or official approval to
authorization
noun
ˌȯ-th(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən
authorizer
noun
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrī-zər
Legal Definition
authorize
transitive verb
au·tho·rize
ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz
authorized; authorizing
1
: to give permission to
2
: to give authority to act to
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