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.
Bonus tip: You can build credit by becoming an authorized user on someone else’s card.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
But if your child abuses the privilege, you can remove them as an authorized user at any time.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
The program’s respected veteran , Lesley Stahl, is pondering her future as well amid the massive changes, according to people familiar with her thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 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
But Descartes and his authorized translator from Latin into French never write of la loy de nature.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
