license 1 of 2

noun

ˈlī-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce license (audio)
variants or licence
Definition of licensenext
1
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something the company is seeking license to operate several more power plants in the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accreditation
the granting of power to perform various acts or duties a restaurant owner has to get a license to serve food and drink

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in authorization
the right to act or move freely military commanders on the ground must be granted considerable license, as wars cannot be micromanaged by people back in Washington

Synonyms & Similar Words

license

2 of 2

verb

variants also licence
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to a state statute licenses county sheriffs to choose their own deputies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word license different from other nouns like it?

The words freedom and liberty are common synonyms of license. While all three words mean "the power or condition of acting without compulsion," license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.

freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license

Where would freedom be a reasonable alternative to license?

Although the words freedom and license have much in common, freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.

freedom of the press

When is it sensible to use liberty instead of license?

The synonyms liberty and license are sometimes interchangeable, but liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.

the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty

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 license
Noun
The Federal Aviation Administration licenses SpaceX launches, while the Federal Communications Commission controls satellite licenses and spectrum used by Starlink. — Luke Fountain,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 But according to La Jornada, officials are actively reviewing whether companies should be allowed to offer them without a gambling license. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
But the agency is responsible for licensing local radio and TV stations across the US and upholding basic standards, and Carr has repeatedly used that limited power to pressure broadcasters. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026 Royalties soared 77 percent to 178 million euros, boosted by the strong performance of eyewear and beauty, licensed to EssilorLuxottica and L’Oréal, respectively. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
  1. permission
  2. accreditation
  3. authorization
  4. enable
  5. consent
  6. mandate
  7. latitude
  8. authorize
Noun
  • Some cultures clean graves as a regular ritual Abrams agreed that proper cleaning, as well as permission from cemeteries, are crucial before setting out to clean a grave.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The files were later released online and made available on streaming platforms without Mathers' permission or knowledge.
    — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of permission
Noun
  • The program would lose its accreditation, and students would pay the price.
    — Beth Davis Sramek, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier this year, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training — the state’s law enforcement accreditation body — released a model policy on the use of AI by police.
    — Jakob McWhinney, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of accreditation
Noun
  • The deal, however, remains subject to congressional authorization and appropriations.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Endeavor nurses needed at least 30% of potential bargaining unit members to sign union authorization cards to file the election petition with the National Labor Relations Board.
    — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of authorization
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
Noun
  • In her lawsuit, Jane Doe accused the student of having sex with her without her consent alongside another fraternity member and later joining other men in snorting ketamine from her body.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In the Five Below case, prosecutors allege Eisenhard isolated a 19-year-old female coworker in a stockroom and touched her without her consent.
    — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of consent
Noun
  • The innovation mandate Jejurikar has witnessed many ups and downs at the consumer products behemoth.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Though armed with a strong mandate for change stemming from a convincing election victory, a new government will still encounter a myriad of hurdles along the way.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of mandate
Noun
  • That gives me a lot of latitude to respond to what other people are doing.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, the 33-year-old endurance swimmer emerged from the water after crossing the latitude of the California-Mexico border and became the first person to swim the length of California.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of latitude
Verb
  • Polis also authorized the use of National Guard members to assist with rescue efforts in southwest Colorado.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Scams involving direct payments A scammer tricks you into authorizing a wire transfer, sending money through a payment app or purchasing gift cards.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of authorize

Browse Nearby Words

librettists
license
licensed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about license

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