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The license of the firm’s founder and Wang’s mentor, Zhang Kai, was revoked, and he was barred from leaving the country; other lawyers at their firm were suspended from practicing for six months, Wang said. — Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Some recent laws, including the Safer Skies Act of 2025, grant state and local agencies (though not private-sector entities) greater license to detect and track hostile drones. — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 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
  • Although the proposal will remain on Thursday’s agenda because of the 72-hour posting requirement, Kayatta said it will effectively be withdrawn during the meeting with authorization from Board President Tara Jeane.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Telle worked closely on the Abraham Accords and the authorization of the Space Force.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 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
  • Telescopes show Venus's crescent lengthening and thinning throughout the month, but observers at mid-northern latitudes will find Venus's image to be blurred by turbulence low in the sky.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and AeroVironment are working on a larger solar panel for improved power production at high-latitude locations, Pomerantz said.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 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
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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on license

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about license

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