authorized
AmericanOther Word 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.
No, according to people familiar with the matter not authorized to discuss it publicly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Added to that is “relentless” demand by the passive ETF crowd, while companies have authorized more than $1 trillion in share buybacks in a window that is about to open.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
The researchers have applied for patents covering the technology in several countries, and two patents have already been authorized.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
Congress authorized reconstruction after the British burned the White House during the War of 1812 and specifically appropriated money used to construct the original East and West Wings.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Yutar handed in the indictment and authorized that we be charged immediately and tried summarily.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
