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 reductions are part of a restructuring plan initiated by new owners, said an executive at the company who was not authorized to comment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Texas while inserting provocative advice on child emancipation that the real organization says it never authored or authorized.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026
You and the person you’ve authorized to submit your mailed ballot must fill out and sign the outside of the ballot envelope.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Dentists have also used it off-label to stop cavities, meaning they apply an authorized product for a purpose beyond its original approved indication.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026
In the England of Hobbes’s day you needed to be licensed to teach in a school, and you could only teach Latin from the authorized textbook, Lily’s Grammar.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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