authorization

American  

[aw-ther-uh-zey-shuhn] / ˌɔ θər əˈzeɪ ʃən /

especially British, authorisation

noun

1. the act of authorizing.

2. permission or power granted by an authority; sanction.

3. a legislative act authorizing money to be spent for government programs that specifies a maximum spending level without provision for actual funds.

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Other Word Forms

• deauthorization noun
• misauthorization noun
• preauthorization noun
• reauthorization noun

Etymology

Origin of authorization

First recorded in 1600–10; authorize + -ation

Explanation

Authorization is an official form of approval for something. You'll probably need to get authorization from the owner of a coffee shop before you hang your oil paintings on the walls. People in control are known as authorities, and their official okay, or authorization, gives you the ability to do something. The authorization of a loan means the bank grants the loan. Authorization can also refer to someone's power — if you are able to fire people, you have the authorization to do so. At the root of authorization is the verb authorize, which comes from the Latin auctor, "master or leader," or "one who causes to grow."

Example Sentences

The February memo from Makary’s office was a setback for Glas, which has been seeking authorization for its vaping device and accompanying flavors for nearly five years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Shortly after the meeting, the FDA official signed the document recommending authorization of the company’s device and flavors, an agency document shows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Reinforcing its strong fundamentals, it recently expanded its share-repurchase authorization, which now represents a potential buyback yield of 7.1%.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

American, which received a US Department of Transportation authorization in early March, said it was continuing to work with authorities in both countries.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

We had said to ourselves, We won’t be like everyone else, those people who packed up and went north without waiting first for the proper authorization.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Related Words

• approval
• authority
• endorsement
• green light
• sanction
• signature