AUTHORIZE Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

authorize

verb

ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz

Definition of authorize

as in to enable

to give official or legal power to only the school nurse is authorized to give any necessary shots

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to entitle

to give a right to this pass will authorize you to go backstage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to approve

to give official acceptance of as satisfactory a system for sound reproduction that has been authorized as meeting the electronic industry's highest standards

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of authorize The referendum would authorize Miami to issue $450 million in general obligation bonds to repair or replace deteriorating police and fire-rescue facilities, including construction of a new public safety building near Miami Freedom Park. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 As financial institutions strengthen their defenses, criminals are increasingly manipulating consumers into handing over credentials or authorizing payments themselves, rather than attempting to bypass bank security controls, Williamson said. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 At the hearing, a lawyer for trustee Jodi Montgomery, who has been withholding the funds, also asked the judge to authorize payments into Reiner’s jail commissary account. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026 To maintain order across the country, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that only protests organized by unions are authorized on Saturday, with partial curfews put in place in several cities. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for authorize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorize

Verb

Chinese clinical tools, medical devices, and enabling technologies are likely to become increasingly central, as well.

— Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
The vulnerability, called P2PShell, impacts a coding language that powers 70% of the world’s websites, enabling hackers to remotely execute code or gain access to information stored on servers.

— Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of enable

Verb

Sony Pictures Classics released it that April, and the movie became a cult classic that spawned a 2016 sequel entitled Punk’s Dead.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
Their errors could, for example, deprive resources from real emergencies or deny benefits a person is entitled to.

— Anat Lior, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of entitle

Verb

With production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Currently, Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, is the only weekly GLP-1 medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity in children over 12 years old.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of approve

Verb

That's the belief behind a university program committed to empowering students who are in prison.

— Noel Brennan, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Dames’ goal has always been to empower women with styles that could walk them throughout the day, balancing an aesthetic rooted in sleek designs and drenched in an ever-present Bauhaus inspiration with comfort and versatility.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of empower

Verb

The report also warned that failure to ratify the contract would stop rehabilitation work, leaving the neighborhood vulnerable to further deterioration.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
A day before the convention was signed, 19 nongovernmental organizations released a joint statement urging nations to not sign or ratify the treaty.

— Mary Lind, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of ratify

Verb

The ordinance permits Highfill to apply excess bond proceeds to retire debt early if construction costs come in below projections, and the city holds the option to call and prepay bonds without penalty starting June 1, 2033.

— Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Helner admires Ben-Gvir’s push to expand civilian gun ownership, permit Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, and introduce the death penalty for terrorists.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of permit

Browse Nearby Words

authorizations

authorize

authorized

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Authorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorize. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of authorize

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes