Distinguishing Approve & Authorize

Approve vs Authorize

The terms “authorize” and “approve” are frequently used in daily life, and it might seem that people use them interchangeably as synonyms. However, this is not the case, and there are differences between the two words, despite some similarities.

When one wants to open a casino in a city, they must first obtain approval and authorization. This means they need to acquire a license, which indicates that they have been authorized by the administration to operate a casino. In this case, if someone asks the owner of the casino if they have approval, they can point to the license as proof of authorization.

Key Takeaways

• Approval signifies getting ratified or sanctioned from authorities or those who matter, and it also implies acceptance or liking by important individuals.
• Authorize means delegating power to someone or granting a license or certificate to carry on certain activities or businesses. Authorization inherently includes approval from the authorities.
• Although both terms have similar meanings, approval refers to the consent or liking of something by relevant people, while authorize is a verb that means a person has been empowered to act in a specific way by the authorities.