authorize investigation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "authorize investigation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when granting permission or approval for an inquiry or examination into a matter. Example: "The board decided to authorize investigation into the financial discrepancies reported by the auditors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Condition 19 would authorize investigation of every major league club's accounting procedures, to douse suspicions that the auditors who cooked Enron's books also helped prepare the teams' financial statements.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The medical center, which will coordinate the investigation of the new treatment for the United States, treated its first patient this month under the recently authorized investigation.

The New York Times

While senator Jeff Merkely of Oregon dramatically waved his phone at Alexander during a June hearing – "What authorized investigation gave you the grounds for acquiring my cellphone data," Merkely asked – the NSA has typically spoken in generic terms about needing the "haystack" of information from Americans it considers necessary to suss out terrorist connections.

The Guardian

Many months and millions of dollars went into the Commission's congressionally authorized investigation.

Huffington Post

The language suggests a narrow inquiry, but authorized investigation could also be interpreted to refer to the ongoing pursuit of all possible terrorists.

Los Angeles Times

But in any event, the conclusions of a congressionally authorized investigation, however convincing one finds them, plainly fall short of a sentence by a credible court, which is what shifts the category of the accused from suspect to convicted.

Huffington Post

But the commissioners do play crucial roles in authorizing investigations and in ultimately deciding whether the agency should bring or close a case.

The New York Times

Now Brazil's Supreme Court has authorized investigations into senior politicians — including acting congressional leaders and former ministers and chiefs of staff, all but one of them linked to Rousseff's governing coalition.

Vice

Following the raids on Buddhist pagodas on August 21 that left a death toll ranging up to a few hundred, the US authorized investigations into a possible coup through a cable to US Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.

Wikipedia

A motion to authorize an investigation into the church received only 6 votes in the 76-seat chamber.

The New York Times

The trick is getting someone from on high to authorize an investigation — and since Thorne has made the kind of enemies who can be as vicious as a team of cheerleaders, that's not going to happen.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal writing, prefer stronger verbs like "commission" or "mandate" over "authorize" to convey a greater sense of authority and direction.

Common error

Avoid assuming that simply using the phrase "authorize investigation" automatically implies legal or official power. Always clarify the basis of the authority being exercised to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "authorize investigation" functions as a verb phrase where "authorize" is the verb indicating the action of granting permission, and "investigation" is the noun representing the object of that action. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

97%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "authorize investigation" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that signifies the act of granting official permission for an inquiry or examination. As Ludwig AI suggests, it’s most commonly found in news and media contexts, where it describes the initiation of formal inquiries. While "authorize investigation" is a correct phrase, consider related terms like "permit inquiry" or "commission inquiry" for nuanced variations in meaning. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the source of authorization and the scope of the investigation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

permit inquiry

Emphasizes allowing an inquiry to take place.

approve inquiry

Focuses on the approval aspect of starting an inquiry.

sanction inquiry

Highlights the official endorsement of an inquiry.

commission inquiry

Stresses the act of formally ordering an inquiry.

initiate investigation

Highlights the commencement of an investigation.

order investigation

Focuses on the directive to begin an investigation.

greenlight investigation

Informal way to express giving the go-ahead for an investigation.

mandate inquiry

Indicates a compulsory instruction for an inquiry.

warrant investigation

Implies justification for beginning an investigation.

okay investigation

Casual term for approving an investigation.

FAQs

What does "authorize investigation" mean?

To "authorize investigation" means to give official permission or approval for a formal inquiry or examination to take place, often to uncover facts or evidence related to a specific matter.

What can I say instead of "authorize investigation"?

You can use alternatives like "permit inquiry", "approve inquiry", or "commission inquiry" depending on the context.

Who typically has the power to authorize an investigation?

The power to authorize an investigation usually lies with individuals in positions of authority, such as government officials, corporate executives, or heads of organizations, depending on the nature and scope of the investigation.

What is the difference between "authorize investigation" and "conduct investigation"?

"Authorize investigation" refers to granting the permission or mandate for an investigation to occur, while "conduct investigation" refers to the actual process of carrying out the inquiry and gathering information.