Meaning & use
authorized personnel
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
People who have official permission to enter a place, use something, or see certain information.
Grammar: Always plural; it refers to a group of people. Use a plural verb: 'Authorized personnel are allowed...'
Patterns
- authorized personnel only
- authorized personnel may ...
The sign on the door says 'Authorized personnel only'.
Only authorized personnel can access the secure area.
Please do not enter; this lab is for authorized personnel.
Common combinations
- authorized personnel only
- The door had a large sign: 'Authorized personnel only'.
- authorized personnel may enter
- The notice states that authorized personnel may enter through the back door.
- list of authorized personnel
- Security keeps a list of authorized personnel for the building.
- authorized personnel access
- You need a badge for authorized personnel access.
Synonyms and how they differ
- staff
- Refers to employees in general, not necessarily those with special permission.
- permitted individuals
- A more formal phrase with a similar meaning, but less common on signs.
Opposites
Commonly confused: authorized personnel or personal?
authorized personnel vs personal
Personal means 'relating to a person'; personnel means 'people who work for an organization'. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence using 'authorized personnel'.
Choose one answer.
'Authorized personnel' is plural, so it takes a plural verb 'are'. Option 1 uses a singular verb, which is wrong. Option 3 is incorrect because personnel are people, not equipment. Option 4 uses a singular verb and is also grammatically wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “authorized personnel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.