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.
When the British government authorized 38 new criminal charges against the Tates and submitted an updated extradition request to the Justice Department, the White House’s calculation was simple.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
If he dies while living alone, access to his residence may initially be limited until the appropriate person is authorized to secure the property.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The Board of Education authorized the sale of $750 million in bonds to settle hundreds of cases dating back decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Rather than write a second volume as she had originally intended, Spark asked Martin Stannard, who wrote the authorized 1984 biography of Evelyn Waugh, to finish the job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Nixon authorized the creation of a Special Investigations Unit.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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.
