What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Official vs Authorize - What's the difference?

official | authorize |

As an adjective official

is of or pertaining to an office or public trust.

As a noun official

is an office holder invested with powers and authorities.

As a verb authorize is

to grant (someone) the permission or power necessary to do (something).

official

English

(wikipedia official)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to an office or public trust.
    • official duties
  • Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority
    • an official statement or report
  • Approved by authority; authorized.
  • sanctioned by the pharmacopoeia; appointed to be used in medicine; officinal
    • an official drug or preparation
  • Discharging an office or function.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • the stomach and other parts official unto nutrition
  • Relating to an office; especially, to a subordinate executive officer or attendant.
  • Relating to an ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction.

    • Antonyms

    * unofficial

    Related terms

    * office * officer * officiate * officiality

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An office holder invested with powers and authorities.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2014-03-15, volume=410, issue=8878, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Turn it off , passage=If the takeover is approved, Comcast would control 20 of the top 25 cable markets, […]. Antitrust officials will need to consider Comcast’s status as a monopsony (a buyer with disproportionate power), when it comes to negotiations with programmers, whose channels it pays to carry.}}
  • A person responsible for applying the rules of a game or sport in a competition.

    • Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * fourth official

    Statistics

    *

    External links

    * * ----

    authorize

    English

    Alternative forms

    * authorise (British) * authourise (rare) * authourize (rare)

    Verb

    (authoriz)
  • To grant (someone) the permission or power necessary to do (something).
    • The General Assembly authorized the Council to take up the matter.
  • To permit (something), to sanction or consent to (something).
    • The judge authorized the wiretapping.

    Derived terms

    * deauthorize, deauthorise * authorization, authorisation * unauthorized, unauthorised