unauthorized

U1N1A1U1T1H4O1R1I1Z10E1D2

adjective

Not having any authority.

Similar
unauthorisedself-appointedunaccreditedunlicensedunlicencedwildcatunofficial
Opposite
authorized
OriginEnglish authorized ← Middle English un- ← Old English un- →
CommonScrabble 25
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Meanings

adjectiveunauthorized (not comparable)

alternative unauthorised

  1. not comparableNot having any authority.
  2. not comparableWithout official authorization.

    The dangers of scofflawry vary wildly. The person who illegally spits on the sidewalk remains disgusting, but clearly poses less risk to others than the company that illegally buries hazardous chemical waste in an unauthorized location.

    1983 January 24, Frank Trippett, “Essay: A Red Light for Scofflaws”, in Time

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot endowed with authority

Similar
unauthorisedself-appointedunaccreditedunlicensedunlicenced
Opposite
authorized

adjectivewithout official authorization

Similar
unauthorisedwildcatunofficial
Also see
self-appointedunaccreditedunlicensedunofficialwildcat

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Englishauthorized
  9. Englishunauthorized

From un- + authorized.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian неразрешен, неупълномощен
  • неразрешен (nerazrešen)without official authorization
  • неупълномощен (neupălnomošten)without official authorization
Czech neoprávněný
  • neoprávněnýwithout official authorization
Danish uautoriseret, uautoriseret
  • uautoriseretnot having any authority
  • uautoriseretwithout official authorization
Finnish luvaton
  • luvatonwithout official authorization
German unerlaubt
  • unerlaubtwithout official authorization
Greek αυθαίρετος, αυθαίρετος
  • αυθαίρετος (afthaíretos)not having any authority
  • αυθαίρετος (afthaíretos)without official authorization
Hindi अनधिकृत, अनधिकृत
  • अनधिकृत (andhikŕt)not having any authority
  • अनधिकृत (andhikŕt)without official authorization
Hungarian illetéktelen, jogtalan
  • illetéktelenwithout official authorization
  • jogtalanwithout official authorization
  • engedély nélküliwithout official authorization
Irish neamhúdaraithe
  • neamhúdaraithewithout official authorization
Māori pokanoa, manakore
  • pokanoawithout official authorization
  • manakorewithout official authorization
Romanian neautorizat, neîmputernicit
  • neautorizatnot having any authority
  • neîmputernicitnot having any authority
Cite this entry
APA

unauthorized. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unauthorized

MLA

“unauthorized.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unauthorized. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unauthorized,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unauthorized.

Source: unauthorized on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.