Synonym Chooser

How does the noun jurisdiction contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of jurisdiction are authority, command, control, dominion, power, and sway. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

In what contexts can authority take the place of jurisdiction?

The words authority and jurisdiction can be used in similar contexts, but authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

When can command be used instead of jurisdiction?

The synonyms command and jurisdiction are sometimes interchangeable, but command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When might control be a better fit than jurisdiction?

In some situations, the words control and jurisdiction are roughly equivalent. However, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

When is it sensible to use dominion instead of jurisdiction?

While the synonyms dominion and jurisdiction are close in meaning, dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When is power a more appropriate choice than jurisdiction?

While in some cases nearly identical to jurisdiction, power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

When would sway be a good substitute for jurisdiction?

Although the words sway and jurisdiction have much in common, sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jurisdiction And Marie Claire Tran-Leung, who leads the Evictions Initiative Project at the National Housing Law Project, stresses the importance of protections for tenants as prices spike higher in many jurisdictions and the federal government pulls back on housing efforts. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025 Both Israel and the United States are not party to the Rome Statute, which is the treaty that established the ICC and have not consented to its jurisdiction. ABC News, 26 Sep. 2025 Local jurisdiction should have land use authority to determine what is best for the residents of their unique communities. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025 The county countered that the court lacks jurisdiction to issue a stay because the Board of Supervisors has not yet made a final decision to remove Corpus from office. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jurisdiction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jurisdiction
Noun
  • Since the Indiana Dunes has both a national and state park, mainly the national park will be impacted by the government shutdown.
    Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
  • This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Ezra is a doula who can see ghosts, and Jonathan is a widower mourning his late husband, Ben, who Ezra can inexplicably both see and hear, even though that definitely breaks ghost rules.
    Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • One video for the song Turista, for instance, focused on Lares, the site of the 1868 Grito de Lares revolt against Spanish rule.
    Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Denmark insisted on safeguards for women and children and for Haiti to do more to address the root causes of instability and carry out reforms in its governance system.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
  • But governance could be eventually handed over to the Palestinian Authority, which already oversees parts of the West Bank, another Palestinian territory which Israel occupies, provided the Palestinian Authority adopts a broad series of reforms.
    Emily Feng, NPR, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To watch Lipe-Smith’s Caroline cuddle in bed watching TV on her iPad, or bopping around to JoJo Siwa, or pensively finishing a Popsicle while sitting beside her grandmother at a museum, is to have the sheer malevolence of our current administration and its adherents thrown into sharp relief.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Trump also gave Wall Street some assurance that the administration would give Nvidia licenses to offer its H20 AI chip in China – a crucial market for the company.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Jurisdiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jurisdiction. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on jurisdiction

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