authoritative
adjective
au·thor·i·ta·tive
ə-ˈthȯr-ə-ˌtā-tiv 
ȯ-,
-ˈthär-
1
: having, marked by, or proceeding from authority
authoritative church doctrines
an authoritative decision
an authoritative manner
2
: possessing recognized or evident authority : clearly accurate or knowledgeable
an authoritative critique
an authoritative source of information
authoritatively
adverb
authoritativeness
noun
Examples of authoritative in a Sentence
The book is an authoritative guide to the city's restaurants.
His manner is polite but authoritative.
She addressed the group with an authoritative voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Whether creating targeted blog posts, authoritative corporate content, persuasive e-commerce descriptions, or detailed educational resources, precise prompts enhance engagement, SEO performance, and monetization potential.
—
Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The decision means that in the authoritative opinion of the international legal community, all countries are under an obligation to contribute to the efforts to reduce global greenhouse emissions.
—Daimeon Shanks-Dumont, The Conversation, 1 Aug. 2025
In the second quarter, in a move designed to more efficiently provide its authoritative industry news to a growing audience of both global executives and consumers, FMG re-platformed Footwear News onto the WWD digital platform.
—Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 28 July 2025
These reports document abuses and violations in nearly 200 countries and territories, offering an authoritative assessment of human rights conditions worldwide.
—Ari Shaw, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritative
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.
Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
The decision means that in the authoritative opinion of the international legal community, all countries are under an obligation to contribute to the efforts to reduce global greenhouse emissions.
—Daimeon Shanks-Dumont, The Conversation, 1 Aug. 2025
In the second quarter, in a move designed to more efficiently provide its authoritative industry news to a growing audience of both global executives and consumers, FMG re-platformed Footwear News onto the WWD digital platform.
—Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 28 July 2025
These reports document abuses and violations in nearly 200 countries and territories, offering an authoritative assessment of human rights conditions worldwide.
—Ari Shaw, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritative
Cite this Entry
“Authoritative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritative. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authoritative
adjective
au·thor·i·ta·tive
ə-ˈthär-ə-ˌtāt-iv
ȯ-,
-ˈthȯr-
: having or coming from authority
authoritatively
adverb
authoritativeness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share