authorized
AmericanOther Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of authorized
Explanation
Something that's authorized is officially approved. If the principal of your school has given you the go-ahead to throw a Hawaiian-themed party, you can call it an authorized luau. The adjective authorized comes from the verb authorize, which means "give formal approval or sanction to." Both words go back to the Latin root auctor, "authority." So when an authority grants her approval or permission to do something, it becomes authorized. You'll need an authorized passport if you want to travel to a foreign country.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You can do this by designating a child as an authorized user, which is a person added to a credit-card account by the primary cardholder, although some issuers have age minimums as low as 13.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
He said it’s surprising how much being an authorized user on a parent’s account will boost a young person’s starting score, even though the reporting doesn’t start until age 18.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
“The public depends on attorneys to follow the law and to be transparent about where they are authorized to practice,” said George Cardona, State Bar chief trial counsel, in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
You and the person you’ve authorized to submit your mailed ballot must fill and sign the outside of the ballot envelope.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
It was not an authorized weapon for the A camp, but Big Jim had somehow managed to get his hands on it.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
