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
Most people use a driver’s license, but that isn’t the only option. — Eva Flowe october 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026 New ownership would have the option to keep Lindy’s running, rebrand it as something fresh — or, essentially, any other possibility under the sun for the property, building and liquor license. — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
Television stations are licensed to operate in the public interest. — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026 Samsung has been investing heavily in its own Eclipsa format, and the company is famously reluctant to license from Dolby. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 14 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
  • Hard passes give journalists who regularly cover the White House longer-term access to its campus without having to get permission ahead of time.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The company has requested permission to launch Starship from its Starbase site in South Texas up to 456 times per year.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of permission
Noun
  • 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
  • Its accreditation is tied to a single entity rather than individual colleges.
    — Dr. Matthew Warshauer, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of accreditation
Noun
  • But the patient in the demo product had not signed any authorizations, so there was no way to show me how to revoke them.
    — Alex Rosenblat — CalMatters, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Some plans are also adding utilization requirements, such as prior authorization.
    — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of authorization
Verb
  • That flexibility, whether enabled by SSTs or other controls, could lower costs and speed up grid connections.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Chain bookselling, which enabled the unification of the reading market, was one of the first heralds of a globalizing age.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of enable
Noun
  • New York requires models’ consent before a digital replica of them can be made, and clear labels on ads that feature synthetic performers.
    — Rumman Chowdhury, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Sex Ed for Guys, a Tik Tok project created by Colby College students, addresses everything from consent and dating to healthy masculinity.
    — Katie Hurley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of consent
Noun
  • When algorithms handle tactical execution, a leader’s primary mandate is cultural.
    — Alexandra J. Zanela, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Pro, who joined the museum in March after positions at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and the Seattle Art Museum, said Ryan’s mandate is to elevate learning and public programs to the level of exhibitions.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of mandate
Noun
  • Even so, viewers at mid-northern latitudes should see an eye-catching object low in the west-northwest sky in early August.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Individual businesses have latitude to pursue opportunities within group-wide guidelines and a strong risk-management framework, while central functions provide the governance, systems and controls that keep that autonomy disciplined.
    — Rob Versaw, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of latitude
Verb
  • Representatives Lori Trahan and Jay Obernolte have advanced the FRONTIER Act, which would authorize government intervention against risky models and override some state laws.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
    — HAVEN DALEY, Arkansas Online, 17 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about license

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