license 1 of 2

variants or licence

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 then — four years later — the state gave his license back. Calmatters, Mercury News, 9 July 2025 That 2022 license had allowed Chevron and other firms to operate in Venezuela despite U.S. sanctions targeting the regime’s finances and oil sector. Antonio Maria Delgado july 9, Miami Herald, 9 July 2025
Verb
After building these profiles, brokers sell or license them to anyone who will pay. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2025 In the end, Gavidia used his Real ID drivers license to prove citizenship, after being unable to recall the name of the hospital. Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for license
Recent Examples of Synonyms for license
Noun
  • Reprinted with permission from Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
    Ekow Eshun July 11, Literary Hub, 11 July 2025
  • Noni Madueke has been given permission by Chelsea to undergo a medical with Arsenal.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said more Russian delegations would visit North Korea later in the year, TASS reported.
    Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
  • Two rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have yielded no progress on stopping the fighting.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • That was after Trevor’s mom had jumped through hoops to fill out the forms, seek a special exemption and get proper authorization from the insurer, just as Anthem representatives had told her.
    Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • The wastewater testing program would need authorization from the legislature.
    Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • There’s a fine line between compatibility and codependency, having compassion for another person’s failings and enabling them.
    Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025
  • Full subscription of the retail offer would raise an additional 1.2 million pounds, which will be used to drive the business and enable Baldo’s turnaround plan.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • This company can assume the risk of non-payment and delays in exchange for a commission.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Besides the historic nature of the farmhouse, the commission had also expressed interest in designating the property because of a possible slave dwelling on the site, according to Brian Clarke, vice chair of the county landmarks commission.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • In 18th-century slave-holding Brazil, Anna Borges fought for her freedom.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 July 2025
  • The club have given me this bit of freedom to make a decision.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • In a LinkedIn post, Farley called for speeding up permitting processes, increasing spending on vocational training, leveraging robotics and augmented reality to help with these spaces and suggested an AmeriCorps-type program for these roles.
    Breana Noble, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • Fishing is permitted anywhere on the lake, and popular spots to try to catch something (while not on a boat) include Bear Lake State Park Marina and Cisco Beach on the Utah side of the lake.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • In addition to achieving top-level status with two different promotions, Naomi also became the first Black woman to win the Money in the Bank match and to successfully cash in the briefcase.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The last time Amazon hosted a major retailer-specific sales event was in mid-October for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (otherwise known as October Prime Day), and both events are known for offering promotions that rival the deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November.
    Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“License.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/license. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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