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

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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 department counted just over 28,000 people giving up a Gem State license for somewhere else in 2025. — Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026 Lygo is hopeful that the broadcaster will remain intact beyond the term of its license. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
Her decision to license her likeness and rights to her books reflects the shifting conversation around AI licensing beyond intellectual property such as characters and catalogues into personalities themselves. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 Spokesperson Stuart Heiser said Kennedy misspoke and may have meant to refer to a test taken by students to be licensed as doctors. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 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
  • Last month, San Francisco lawmakers unanimously declared the Latin Rock House a historic landmark, formally protecting the Spanish-style home from being painted over, altered or destroyed by future owners or developers without the city's permission.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Over the years, many singers, including Elvis Presley, asked for permission to record the song.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of permission
Noun
  • The firm holds Better Business Bureau accreditation with an A rating.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The accreditation included a thorough review of the school district’s classroom instruction, continuous improvement efforts, practices and governance, such as evaluators observing learning environments.
    — Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of accreditation
Noun
  • Alongside earnings back in May, Nvidia announced an $80 billion buyback authorization and a quarterly dividend increase to 25 cents per share from 1 cent.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The authorization vote does not mean educators will begin striking yet.
    — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of authorization
Verb
  • The approach appears to be adding a midfielder who can cover larger spaces in the middle of the pitch, enabling the team to be more proactive and aggressive in their press.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The advanced safety detector, which screens incoming messages for policy violations, must be manually enabled by users.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of enable
Noun
  • He was later released on bail and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentionally chok[ing a] person without consent and common assault.
    — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In some places, you may be permitted to record a conversation; in others, consent may be required.
    — William Phillips, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of consent
Noun
  • Softer labor figures would justify a balanced approach at the Warsh Fed, leading the committee to take the employment side of the institution's dual mandate into consideration, effectively loosening financial conditions.
    — Justina Lee,Fred Imbert, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • University of Pittsburgh researchers studied RTO mandates at big public companies and found no gain in financial performance — just a drop in employee satisfaction.
    — Lori Janke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mandate
Noun
  • The creators pitched that show all over town, but the only offer came from a single executive at HBO Max who had the vision, the institutional latitude, and the creative conviction to champion an unconventional project.
    — Mike Schur, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Observed from lower latitudes, the orbital parade of satellites would peak in brightness at sunrise and sunset; toward the poles, the constellations would be bright and visible for most of the night during winter and the equinoxes.
    — Arielle Frommer, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of latitude
Verb
  • Lutnick has asked the court to dismiss the case, saying that the arrangement was authorized under federal law and is important for the US defense industrial base.
    — Norah Rami, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The drones are authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration and travel at altitudes between 250 and 400 feet, Robertson said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on license

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about license

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