# authorize

/ˈɔθɝˌaɪz/ (US) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/authorize
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

to give official permission for something to happen. You use this when someone in charge says 'yes' to a plan or a payment.

For teachers: to grant official permission for or formal sanction to an action. Transitive — requires a direct object, often a person or a specific procedure.

## Examples

- The manager must authorize your travel expenses.
- The bank refused to authorize the transaction because the account holder had not provided a valid signature.
- Only the chief executive is empowered to authorize expenditures exceeding the department's quarterly budget, ensuring a centralized layer of fiscal oversight for all major projects.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The boss authorized to start the project" but "The boss authorized the project" — Authorize is transitive and requires a direct object (a noun or noun phrase), not an infinitive clause.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In British English, the spelling 'authorise' is more common.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.