authorization was sought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "authorization was sought" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is indicating that permission or approval was requested for a particular action or decision. Example: "Before proceeding with the project, authorization was sought from the management team to ensure compliance with company policies."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Authorization was sought from local authorities mainly chiefs, elders and elected officials.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Administrative authorization was sought by sending a formal correspondence to the head of all of the targeted institutions prior to data collection.

Global Health Action

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Health partners were reported to often start projects without MSPP authorization or with authorization being sought from health authorities subsequent to activities starting.

BMC Health Services Research

(1) Agreement or statementA Bell operating company meets the requirements of this paragraph if it meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) of this paragraph for each State for which the authorization is sought.

Cornell University

Privacy legislation in many jurisdictions, and most research ethics boards, require that either personal health information is de-identified or that patient consent or authorization is sought before the data are disclosed for secondary purposes.

Genome Medicine

Thus, not all actual or potential risks may be identified at the time an initial authorization is sought; many of the risks associated with the use of a medicinal product will only be discovered and characterized postauthorization with broader use.

Cancer Medicine

Authorization to conduct the study was sought from the relevant administrative and health authorities in the study area.

Plosone

Authorization for analyzing and publishing the data was sought from the Secretaría de Salud Departamental de Tolima.

Conflict and Health

We did not use any information that could allow an individual patient identification, therefore no ethics committee approval was sought for this research, for which we obtained authorization by the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Authorization would be sought from the appropriate Congressional or legal authorities.

The New York Times

As a result, for any further conversion of permanent grassland, authorization has to be sought and as a rule, grassland has to be created elsewhere as compensation.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "authorization was sought", clearly state from whom the authorization was sought to avoid ambiguity. For instance, "Authorization was sought from the ethics committee" is more informative than simply "Authorization was sought".

Common error

While grammatically correct, overuse of the passive voice can make your writing sound weak. Consider using the active voice for a more direct and impactful statement. For example, instead of "Authorization was sought", you could write "The team sought authorization".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "authorization was sought" functions as a passive voice construction indicating that a request for official permission or approval was made. It highlights the action of seeking authorization rather than the actor performing the action, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "authorization was sought" is a grammatically correct and usable passive voice construction employed to convey that official permission or approval was requested. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While the phrase is somewhat formal, it is suitable for use in various contexts, including science, news and media, and formal business settings. To enhance clarity, specify from whom authorization was requested. Consider active voice alternatives for a more direct tone. Although "authorization was sought" is deemed correct and comprehensible, it's crucial to remain mindful of potentially more common wordings to communicate more efficiently.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

permission was requested

Replaces "authorization" with the more common synonym "permission" and maintains the passive voice.

approval was requested

Substitutes "authorization" with "approval", another close synonym, and keeps the passive construction.

consent was obtained

Focuses on the result of the request, emphasizing that consent was successfully acquired.

official permission was requested

Emphasizes the official or formal nature of the authorization being sought.

clearance was obtained

Similar to consent, it focuses on result of request and is mostly used in contexts that ask for compliance in some specific areas.

sanction was sought

Similar to authorization, it focuses on result of request and is mostly used in contexts that ask for formal validation.

application was filed

Focuses on the formal process of requesting authorization, implying that the necessary paperwork was submitted.

agreement was requested

Emphasizes the need for mutual understanding and acceptance before proceeding.

endorsement was pursued

Highlights the active effort to gain support or approval from a respected authority.

the green light was sought

Uses a colloquial expression to indicate that approval was needed to proceed.

FAQs

What does "authorization was sought" mean?

The phrase "authorization was sought" means that someone requested official permission or approval to do something. It implies a formal process of seeking consent or endorsement before proceeding with an action or decision.

What can I say instead of "authorization was sought"?

You can use alternatives like "permission was requested", "approval was requested", or "consent was obtained" depending on the context.

Is it better to use active or passive voice when describing authorization?

While both are grammatically correct, active voice (e.g., "The team sought authorization") is often more direct and impactful. Passive voice ("authorization was sought") can be useful when the actor is unknown or less important than the action itself.

In what contexts is "authorization was sought" commonly used?

The phrase "authorization was sought" is commonly used in formal settings such as research, legal proceedings, and business environments to describe the process of seeking official approval or permission.