Authorize vs. Approve — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Authorize and Approve
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Definitions
Authorize➦
Give official permission for or approval to (an undertaking or agent)
The troops were authorized to use force
The government authorized further aircraft production
Approve➦
To consent to officially or formally; confirm or sanction
The Senate approved the treaty.
Authorize➦
To grant authority or power to.
Approve➦
To consider right or good
"He came to ask me ... whether I approved his choice altogether" (Jane Austen).
Authorize➦
To give permission for (something); sanction
The city agency that authorizes construction projects.
Approve➦
(Obsolete)To prove or attest.
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Authorize➦
(transitive) To grant (someone) the permission or power necessary to do (something); to permit; to sanction or consent to.
The General Assembly authorized the Council to take up the matter.
The judge authorized the wiretapping.
Approve➦
To show, feel, or express approval
We didn't approve of the decision.
Authorize➦
To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle a boundary.
Approve➦
(transitive) To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.
Although we may disagree with it, we must nevertheless approve the sentence handed down by the court-martial.
Authorize➦
To make legal; to give legal sanction to; to legalize; as, to authorize a marriage.
Approve➦
(transitive) To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.
We approve the measure of the administration, for it is an excellent decision.
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Authorize➦
To establish by authority, as by usage or public opinion; to sanction; as, idioms authorized by usage.
Approve➦
To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
Authorize➦
To sanction or confirm by the authority of some one; to warrant; as, to authorize a report.
A woman's story at a winter's fire,Authorized by her grandam.
Approve➦
To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept.
Her mother never approves of any of her boyfriends. She thinks nobody is good enough for her little girl.
Authorize➦
To justify; to furnish a ground for.
Authorizing himself, for the most part, upon other histories.
Approve➦
To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of.
Authorize➦
Grant authorization or clearance for;
Clear the manuscript for publication
The rock star never authorized this slanderous biography
Approve➦
To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit — said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.
Authorize➦
Give or delegate power or authority to;
She authorized her assistant to sign the papers
Approve➦
To show to be real or true; to prove.
Wouldst thou approve thy constancy? ApproveFirst thy obedience.
Approve➦
To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
Opportunities to approve . . . worth.
He had approved himself a great warrior.
'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.
His account . . . approves him a man of thought.
Approve➦
To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm; as, to approve the decision of a court-martial.
Approve➦
To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of; as, we approve the measured of the administration.
Approve➦
To make or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.
They had not approved of the deposition of James.
They approved of the political institutions.
Approve➦
To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit; - said esp. of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.
Approve➦
Give sanction to;
I approve of his educational policies
Approve➦
Judge to be right or commendable; think well of
