license 1 of 2

variants or licence
Definition of licensenext

license

2 of 2

verb

variants also licence

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
And that has to lay out all of the issues on which the FCC is going to base any action with respect to a license. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026 He is arrested and the New York State Athletic Commission suspends his boxing license and strips him of his heavyweight title. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
No doubt, the CPU, dubbed the AGI CPU, will be a big conversation on the earnings call, as this marks a strategic shift for the company into designing a complete chip rather than simply licensing its Arm instruction set to other chipmakers in exchange for royalties. Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 3 May 2026 Consequently, licensing laws lower the number of workers available to build homes, limiting the supply of affordable housing. Maxwell Harden, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
  • Taiwan blamed China for blocking the trip, accusing Beijing of forcing the African nations to deny permission for Lai’s aircraft to pass through their airspace.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 4 May 2026
  • Authorities in the West African island nation have denied the MV Hondius permission to dock at the port of Praia as a precautionary measure, complicating efforts to evacuate sick passengers and provide urgent medical care.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • The festival brought 75 films to Udine – comprising eight world premieres, 18 international premieres, 21 European premieres and 20 Italian premieres across 12 countries – alongside 236 guests of honor and more than 2,000 accreditations.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026
  • At Diamond Recovery Group, accreditation is not viewed as a one-time achievement, but as an ongoing commitment embedded into every aspect of daily operations.
    Ascend Agency, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • And what's more, the president’s claim at the outset of your segment that no president has sought an authorization to use force is also simply wrong.
    NBC news, NBC news, 3 May 2026
  • Secretary Hegseth told your committee that the administration doesn't need congressional authorization to continue the war past 60 days because the clock pauses because of the ceasefire.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • If portions of the page appear blank and an ad blocker is enabled, please disable the ad blocker and refresh the page to ensure full access to the content.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • Using magnetic fields, this system enables power transfer to electric ships without physical metal contact, shielding vital components from nature’s corrosive elements.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Julie Harding filed for divorce and, in May 2022, withdrew more than $220,000 from three bank accounts without Michael Harding’s consent.
    Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
  • The hospital association still objects to the part of the bill that would require the private guardian to meet with the hospital patient prior to accepting the appointment, citing concerns that such a requirement may slow the process as well as timing issues concerning medical consent.
    Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Top-down mandates from Sacramento that make sense for a school in a wealthy ZIP code make no sense for one in a rural area.
    Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
  • There were a lot more network mandates and a lot more production companies coming to us and making sure to have a diverse cast.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • While the federal government has considerable latitude over entities that receive federal funds and do not comply with the executive order, legal challenges quickly followed.
    Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
  • Because these meteors appear to radiate from a position low on the eastern horizon for mid-northern latitudes, watchers in the tropics are best placed.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • The searches were being conducted at daycares, businesses and some residences, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
    Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a group dedicated to hunters and fisherman, helped develop and pass the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act, which authorizes an annual $70 million investment through 2028 to fund research aimed at curbing the spread of the disease.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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