authorised

authorised — adjective

1. officially approved by a person or organisation that has the power to grant perm

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

officially approved by a person or organisation that has the power to grant permission — for example, a government body, a company manager, or a qualified expert.

Example

Only authorised staff members can enter the laboratory after six o'clock.

collocation: authorised staff / authorised personnel

Jude submitted the authorised budget report to the finance committee for a final check.

authorised + noun (budget report)

Common collocations
  • authorised personnel
  • authorised access
  • authorised representative
  • authorised version
  • duly authorised
  • officially authorised
  • properly authorised
Synonyms
  • approved

    more general; focuses on a positive decision rather than the act of granting permission

  • permitted

    slightly less formal; suggests that an action is allowed but not necessarily formally documented

  • licensed

    specifically for professional or commercial permission granted by an official body

  • sanctioned

    more formal; can carry overtones of moral or legal endorsement

Antonyms
  • unauthorised

    the direct opposite — lacking any form of official permission

  • forbidden

    stronger; implies that something is not allowed and may be against the rules or the law

Grammar Patterns

authorised + noun

authorised + to-infinitive

Usage Note

British English spelling; American English uses 'authorized'. Typically appears in official, bureaucratic, or legal contexts. Often placed before a noun (authorised personnel) or followed by a to-infinitive (authorised to act).

Common Mistakes

She was authorised for access the building.
She was authorised to access the building.
Use the to-infinitive after 'authorised', not 'for' + noun.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe that something has been allowed or agreed to by an authority, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Approved' is the most general — it simply means someone in charge has said yes. 'Permitted' focuses on allowing an action to happen rather than endorsing a thing or person. 'Licensed' is narrower and implies an official document or certificate (a driving licence, a business licence). 'Sanctioned' is the most formal and often carries legal or political weight (government-sanctioned trade). For example: the committee approved the project budget; smoking is not permitted inside the building; Dr. Chen is a licensed physician; the trade deal was sanctioned by the ministry.

approvedpermitted ↗licensedsanctioned

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • authorised to act
  • authorised to sign
  • duly authorised representative

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

From the verb 'authorise', which entered Middle English from Old French 'autoriser', ultimately from Latin 'auctorizare', meaning 'to give authority'. The Latin root 'auctor' means 'originator, promoter, or one who gives approval'. The past participle 'authorised' has been used as an adjective since the 15th century.