What does "warrant" mean?
Authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior.
Warrant
/ˈwɒɹənt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior.
- Grammar: warrant is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: guarantee, accept, acceptance, acceptance bill.
- Useful contrasts: deny, disclaim, disclaimer.
- Usage evidence: A judge will issue a search warrant only if there is probable cause.
How to use "warrant"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "warrant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "warrant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "warrant" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 Authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior. countable, uncountable
"Two years after the first appearance on the London stage by an English actress, a royal warrant of 1660 decreed that women rather than boys were to play all female roles."
- 2 a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts wordnet
- 3 Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof. countable
"a warrant of authenticity; a warrant for success"
- 4 a written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications wordnet
- 5 An order that serves as authorization; especially a voucher authorizing payment or receipt of money. countable
"And also be in enactid by the auctorite aforseid that no manꝰ [man's] clerke or clerkes or other parsone or parsones do wryte or make any maner of wryting warraunt or warrauntes, upon any maner gyfte or graunte made by the Kynges Highnes or by any other his Gracys offycers as aforsaide, [...]"
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 formal and explicit approval wordnet
- 7 An option, usually issued together with another security and with a term at issue greater than a year, to buy other securities of the issuer. countable
"But they [police juries] have no power to [...] issue promissory notes or warrants to cover funds which may be set aside for this purpose in future taxation without express authority from the supreme political power of the state."
- 8 a type of security issued by a corporation (usually together with a bond or preferred stock) that gives the holder the right to purchase a certain amount of common stock at a stated price wordnet
- 9 A judicial writ authorizing an officer to make a search, seizure, or arrest, or to execute a judgment. countable
"an arrest warrant issued by the court"
- 10 Ellipsis of warrant officer. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis
"[Dave T.] Daniels also stated that many supported the idea of an officers indoctrination course, with the aim of preparing warrants for broader responsibility."
- 11 Ellipsis of warrant officer.; A certificate of appointment given to a warrant officer. countable
"Several days passed away, and at length down came an order for [Harry] Bartlett to go on shore and take up his warrant for a sloop of war that was then round at Plymouth, to which place he was to make all haste to join. […] "Well, my man," said Sir Joseph [Sydney Yorke], in his usual deliberative manner, "and so it has pleased the powers aloft to reward your deserts, and you are now a warrant officer.""
- 12 A document certifying that a motor vehicle meets certain standards of mechanical soundness and safety; a warrant of fitness. New-Zealand, countable
"Some years ago he had bought a motor vehicle with a warrant issued the same day only to find that the hand brake was not functioning properly and only one brake drum had any lining on it. He had recently heard of a similar case of a vehicle which had been issued with a warrant by the Christchurch City Council testing station, and the purchaser had to pay $60 to have the hand brake and hydraulic brake equipment fixed and the brakes relined."
- 13 A defender, a protector. countable, obsolete
"And whanne I ſawe her makynge ſuche dole / I asked her who ſlewe her lorde ¶ Syre ſhe ſaid the falſest knyght of the world now lyuyng and he is the mooſt vylayne that euer man herd ſpeke of / and his name is ſir Breuſe ſaunce pyte / thenne for pyte I made the damoyſel to lepe on her palfroy / and I promyſed her to be her waraunt / and to helpe her to entyere her lord"
- 14 Underclay in a coal mine. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To protect, keep safe (from danger). obsolete, transitive
"[A]ll honeſt meanes for a man to warrant him-ſelfe from euills, are not onely tolerable, but commendable."
- 2 stand behind and guarantee the quality, accuracy, or condition of wordnet
- 3 To give (someone) an assurance or guarantee (of something); also, with a double object: to guarantee (someone something). obsolete, transitive
"Crato in a conſultation of his for a noble patient, tels him plainly, that if his Highneſſe will keepe but a good diet, hee will warrant him his former health."
- 4 provide adequate grounds to justify (a certain course of action) wordnet
- 5 To guarantee (something) to be (of a specified quality, value, etc.). transitive
"Tuc[ca]. [...] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? / Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. / Tucca. I'le know the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: [...]"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To guarantee as being true; (colloquial) to believe strongly. transitive
"That tree is going to fall, I’ll warrant."
- 7 To authorize; to give (someone) sanction or warrant (to do something). transitive
"I am warranted to search these premises fully."
- 8 To justify; to give grounds for. transitive
"Circumstances arose that warranted the use of lethal force."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A judge will issue a search warrant only if there is probable cause."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "warrant"?
Common synonyms include: guarantee, accept, acceptance, acceptance bill, account for, accredit.
How do you use "warrant" in a sentence?
A judge will issue a search warrant only if there is probable cause.
How do you pronounce "warrant"?
Pronounced /ˈwɒɹənt/.
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English warant (“protector; guard, shield, protection”), from Anglo-Norman warrant, Old Northern French warant, warand, a variant of Old French guarant, garant, garand (“assurance, guarantee; authorization, permission; protector; protection, safety”) (modern French garant), from Frankish *warand, present participle of *warjan (“to fend off; to stop, thwart”). The word is cognate with Old High German werento (“guarantor”). The verb is derived from Middle English warrant, waranten (“to give protection; to protect, shield; to assure, pledge, promise; to guarantee”), from Anglo-Norman warantir, warandir, warentir, and Old Northern French warandir, warantir, variant forms of Old French guarantir (“to protect”) (modern French garantir), a Romance formation from the noun guarant: see above.