issued
C1Formal, Official, Administrative, Legal, Business
Definition
Meaning
Released, distributed, or provided officially or formally by an authority, organization, or source.
Can also mean to flow out or emerge from a source, or to be the result or consequence of something (more common in verb form 'issue').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly implies an authoritative or official act of provision. Often used with documents, statements, commands, or tangible items like equipment. Imparts legitimacy and formality to the object.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Minor orthographic preferences in collocations (e.g., 'cheque' vs. 'check'). Legal/phrasing conventions may differ in specific domains (e.g., 'issued at' vs. 'issued in').
Connotations
Equally formal and authoritative in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in corporate/financial contexts (e.g., 'issued shares').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Authority] issued [Document/Item] to [Recipient][Authority] issued [Recipient] with [Document/Item][Document/Item] was issued by [Authority][Document/Item] issued on [Date][Statement/Warning] issued following [Event]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to take issue with (from verb 'issue')”
- “to issue forth (from verb 'issue')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The company issued new shares to raise capital. Annual reports are issued to all shareholders.
Academic
The journal issued a correction to the published paper. Permits were issued for the archaeological dig.
Everyday
The council issued new recycling bins. I was issued a library card.
Technical
The certificate authority issued a new digital SSL certificate. The server issued a 404 error.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The ministry issued revised guidance yesterday.
- She was issued with a penalty notice for littering.
American English
- The State Department issued a travel advisory.
- Employees were issued new security badges.
adjective
British English
- The newly issued banknotes have enhanced security features.
- Please bring your issued equipment to the training.
American English
- The issued shares are now publicly traded.
- All issued uniforms must be returned.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher issued pencils to the class.
- My new passport was issued last week.
- The police issued a warning about the dangerous road.
- The company issued an apology for the mistake.
- A severe weather alert was issued by the meteorological office.
- The court issued a summons for the witness to appear.
- The central bank issued a statement aimed at calming financial markets.
- The committee issued a damning report criticising the government's handling of the crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a government ISSU-ance Department (ISSU-ed) stamping and sending out official papers.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A SOURCE (of commands/information). LEGITIMACY IS A STAMP.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'издан' (published) for non-document contexts.
- Do not use 'выпущенный' for abstract things like warnings—use 'выданный' or 'объявленный' contextually.
- 'Issued' implies formal origin; don't use for casual giving ('дал').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'issued' for informal giving (e.g., 'He issued me a pen').
- Incorrect preposition: 'issued to' vs. 'issued for'.
- Confusing 'issued' (past) with 'issuing' (present continuous) in passive constructions.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'issued' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is commonly used for both physical objects (passports, uniforms) and abstract entities (warnings, statements, commands, shares).
'Issued' emphasizes official, formal distribution from an authority. 'Released' is broader, focusing on making something available or setting it free (e.g., a movie, a prisoner, information). An official statement can be both issued and released.
Yes, but the subject is typically the authority: 'The department issued a report.' The passive voice ('A report was issued') is extremely common.
'Issued by [authority]', 'issued to [recipient]', 'issued on [date]', 'issued in [place/year]', 'issued under [authority/law]', 'issued as [type of document]'.