warrant
noun
war·rant
| \ ˈwȯr-ənt
, ˈwär-\
, ˈwär-\
Definition of warrant
(Entry 1 of 2)
b(1)
: ground, justification
(2)
: confirmation, proof
2a
: a commission or document giving authority to do something
especially
: a writing that authorizes a person to pay or deliver to another and the other to receive money or other consideration
b
: a precept or writ issued by a competent magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search or to do other acts incident to the administration of justice
c
: an official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer
d(1)
: a short-term obligation of a governmental body (such as a municipality) issued in anticipation of revenue
(2)
: an instrument issued by a corporation giving to the holder the right to purchase the stock of the corporation at a stated price either prior to a stipulated date or at any future time
warrant
verb
warranted;
warranting;
warrants
Definition of warrant (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to declare or maintain with certainty : be sure that
I'll warrant he'll be here by noon
b
: to assure (a person) of the truth of what is said
2a
: to guarantee to a person good title to and undisturbed possession of (something, such as an estate)
b
: to provide a guarantee of the security of (something, such as title to property sold) usually by an express covenant in the deed of conveyance
c
: to guarantee to be as represented
d
: to guarantee (something, such as goods sold) especially in respect of the quality or quantity specified
3
: to guarantee security or immunity to : secure
I'll warrant him from drowning— William Shakespeare
4
: to give warrant or sanction to : authorize
the law warrants this procedure
5a
: to give proof of the authenticity or truth of
b
: to give assurance of the nature of or for the undertaking of : guarantee
6
: to serve as or give adequate ground or reason for
promising enough to warrant further consideration
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Other Words from warrant
Noun
warrantless
\ ˈwȯr-ənt-ləs
, ˈwär- \
adjective
, ˈwär- \
adjective
Synonyms & Antonyms for warrant
Synonyms: Noun
allowance, authorization, clearance, concurrence, consent, granting, green light, leave, license (or licence), permission, sanction, sufferance
Synonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Noun
interdiction, prohibition, proscription
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Examples of warrant in a Sentence
Noun
The police had a warrant for his arrest. There was no warrant for such behavior.Verb
The writing was poor, but it hardly warrants that kind of insulting criticism. The punishment he received was not warranted.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
An affidavit arrest warrant describes how investigators identified him as a suspect. — oregonlive, "Details about Gresham suspect emerge from 1978 Alaska cold case," 10 Sep. 2019 The interview also came before the release of an explosive warrant from the Connecticut State Police. — Christina Maxouris And Rob Frehse, CNN, "Missing Connecticut mom's husband said in an interview he 'had a beautiful life' prior to her disappearance," 10 Sep. 2019 Davis refused standard field sobriety tests, and a warrant was served to obtain a blood sample, according to the court documents. — Chelsea Curtis, USA TODAY, "10-year-old girl films mom driving drunk, police say," 10 Sep. 2019 Authorities served him with a no bail warrant for domestic violence and a search warrant. — CBS News, "California mother found dead 2 months after she vanished; husband arrested," 10 Sep. 2019 On Sunday, agents served warrants at the Santa Barbara headquarters of Truth Aquatics seeking training, safety and maintenance records. — Los Angeles Times, "Was the California boat fire a crime? Investigators search for answers," 9 Sep. 2019 The suspect is in custody and pending completion of warrant procedures for assault. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, "Dispute in Birmingham pediatrician’s office leaves woman stabbed, suspect in custody," 9 Sep. 2019 Paul International Airport Police Department with a warrant that was not used. — Deanna Weniger, Twin Cities, "Husband and wife’s bodies found in New Brighton were murder-suicide, police say," 9 Sep. 2019 An officer was dispatched to Harris County Sherriff’s Office JPC to pick up a prisoner in custody with an outstanding West University Place warrant. — Houston Chronicle, "West University Place Police Department weekly report," 9 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The bean used here is the mighty chickpea, and this dish so chock-full of them that it warrants being called a chickpea stew. — Ellie Krieger, The Denver Post, "A quick and flavorful chickpea stew for all your busy nights ahead," 9 Sep. 2019 Many would argue Birmingham doesn’t need or even warrant a top-tier team, thanks to the city’s not-so-mild obsession with college football (and college basketball on the rise). — John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, "Are you a true Birmingham local? Answer these 15 questions," 9 Sep. 2019 Detectives are then supposed to assess the submissions and determine which ones warrant investigation. — Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, "San Jose: New police portal lets residents quietly report suspected ‘johns’," 8 Sep. 2019 Fontaine’s rose to showmanship when the occasion warranted. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "Review: Fontaine’s Southern Diner & Bar finds 2-star comfort zone near the Pearl," 29 Aug. 2019 The company has maintained that the content offered by CBS and other broadcasters doesn't warrant higher costs given declining viewership and the fact that the channels can be found for free over the air with an antenna. — Dallas News, "AT&T CEO says CBS, Nexstar blackouts for DirecTV customers will likely continue," 24 July 2019 More often, though, it was viewed as something sinister, warranting derision. — Shireen Rose Shakouri, Teen Vogue, "What You Need to Know About Nowruz, the Persian New Year Celebration," 20 Mar. 2019 New offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will use enough two-tight-end sets that the Lions could keep four, but none of Nauta, Traylor or Cunningham has done enough to warrant a roster spot yet. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions' 53-man roster prediction: Tough decisions on defense await," 27 Aug. 2019 But the almost exclusively Italian choices are interesting but not necessarily blockbuster-y enough options to warrant that price tag. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Get ready for a long night — and to have your mind blown — at Arama," 15 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'warrant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.