authorize

authorize — verb

1. to formally allow an action to take place, or to give a person or group the righ

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to formally allow an action to take place, or to give a person or group the right to do something on behalf of an organization, government, or law.

Example

The Mayor authorized the new bridge project after the city council voted in favor.

authorize + noun (action or project)

Dr. Vesna authorized the nurses to give the medicine without asking him first.

authorize + somebody + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • authorize a payment
  • authorize a transaction
  • authorize the use of
  • authorize the release of
  • authorize spending
  • authorize someone to act
Synonyms
  • approve

    more general; means a check has been passed, not always granting power to act

  • permit

    formal; focuses on allowing an action rather than granting authority to a person

  • sanction

    very formal; often used for actions allowed under rules, treaties, or law

  • empower

    stresses giving someone the legal right or ability to do something

Antonyms
  • forbid

    direct opposite for actions; an official source refuses permission

  • ban

    stronger; officially blocks an activity altogether

  • prohibit

    formal; written rules or laws stop something from happening

Grammar Patterns

authorize + noun

authorize + somebody + to-infinitive

be authorized to + infinitive

Usage Note

Subject is usually an institution or person in a position of power (a court, a board, a manager, a parent). Frequently passive when the focus is on who is permitted rather than who gave the permission. Distinguish from 'allow', which is everyday and does not imply an official source of power.

Common Mistakes

My friend authorized me to borrow his bike.
My friend let me borrow his bike.
'authorize' needs an official source of power; for casual permission between friends, use 'let' or 'allow'.
The manager authorized that we leave early.
The manager authorized us to leave early.
use 'authorize + somebody + to-infinitive', not a that-clause.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs describe one party giving the green light to an action, but they differ in what is being granted and how formal the act is. 'Authorize' specifically passes power down from an official source — a court, a board, a parent — to either an action or a person who will carry it out. 'Approve' is broader and simply means a check has been passed; an approved budget is one that survived review, but the spending still has to be authorized later. 'Permit' is formal and points to allowing a particular action ('smoking is permitted on the patio'). 'Sanction' is the most weighty: it usually appears in legal or political contexts ('a sanctioned strike'). 'Empower' shifts the focus to the person, emphasizing that they now have the legal right and ability to act. Compare: a board may approve a plan, then authorize the manager to spend the money, which empowers her to sign the contracts.

authorize ↗approve ↗permit ↗sanction ↗empower ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • authorize a payment
  • authorize a transaction
  • authorize spending
  • authorize the release
  • authorize the use
  • authorize access

Adverbs

  • formally authorize
  • officially authorize
  • specifically authorize
  • duly authorize

Phrases

  • authorize someone to do something
  • authorize the use of force
  • authorize in writing

Prepositions

  • authorize by
  • authorize for
  • authorize under

Etymology

LatinMedieval LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Authorize' entered English in the late 14th century from Old French 'autoriser', which came from Medieval Latin 'auctorizare'. The Latin root is 'auctor', meaning an originator, leader, or master — the same source that gave English the words 'author' and 'authority'. The idea is that an 'auctor' is someone with the standing to set things in motion, so to authorize is to pass along a piece of that standing. The American spelling with '-ize' reflects an older preference; British English settled on '-ise' under French influence in the 19th century.