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.
The original experiments did not establish that ordinary sucralose consumption damages DNA in people, and European regulators concluded in 2026 that the sweetener remains safe under its currently authorized uses.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
While a few other anti-choking devices are marketed on social media, the LifeVac is the sole suction-based, anti-choking device authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
But for Miller, that reduction is still not enough, said sources not authorized to speak publicly about internal matters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
The armed forces are authorized to assist federal and state police in averting dangers posed by unmanned drones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
“I told them they’re not authorized to be up here,” he explains.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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.
