What does reauthorize mean?
Reauthorize means to authorize something again, usually because its previous permission or approval has expired, been suspended, or must be confirmed under a new policy. The verb is especially common in legal, financial, technical, and administrative contexts: an organization may reauthorize access to a system, a bank may reauthorize a payment, or a committee may reauthorize a project. It differs from merely checking that permission remains valid, since reauthorize can suggest a deliberate act of renewal or renewed approval. The word also conveys formality and procedural authority, making it suitable for official documents and business communication but rarely necessary in casual conversation. Its meaning is closely related to reapprove and reconfirm, while deauthorize, revoke, and rescind express the opposite action. The spelling reauthorize is standard in American English, whereas British English commonly uses re-authorise.
verb (transitive)To authorize again; to give or renew official permission or approval for something.
- To authorize again or renew official permission or approval for a person, action, payment, access right, or arrangement.
"The administrator may need to reauthorize the payment before it can be processed."
"The security team reauthorized the contractor's access to the internal system."
"After the interruption, the committee reauthorized the project and instructed staff to resume work."
Reauthorize means giving permission a second time: the original approval may stand, but something else can require it to be renewed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reauthorize come from?
Reauthorize is an English formation made by combining the prefix re-, meaning again, with authorize. Authorize entered English through French authoriser and ultimately relates to Latin auctor, a word associated with an originator or source of authority. Related English words include author, authority, authorize, and authorization, which preserve the same conceptual connection with permission, authorship, and the power to approve.
Related word forms
How reauthorize is actually used
This is primarily a formal, administrative, legal, or technical verb. In American spelling it is usually written as one word; British English often uses the hyphenated form re-authorise. It is usually transitive, taking an object such as access, payment, permission, or a plan. The prefix re- indicates renewed authorization, not authorization for a second, different activity.