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
At 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds, Browner was authoritative with his presence and demanding with his message.
—
Jeff Howe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
After decades of serving as a reliable, authoritative public repository of basic information about countries, their economies, and their people, The World Factbook disappeared from the internet on February 4 with no advance notice.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
When broadcast news became a dominant cultural force in the US two of its most authoritative voices were David Brinkley (born in North Carolina) and Walter Cronkite (born in Missouri).
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritative
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Jeff Howe, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
After decades of serving as a reliable, authoritative public repository of basic information about countries, their economies, and their people, The World Factbook disappeared from the internet on February 4 with no advance notice.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
When broadcast news became a dominant cultural force in the US two of its most authoritative voices were David Brinkley (born in North Carolina) and Walter Cronkite (born in Missouri).
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for authoritative
Cite this Entry
“Authoritative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritative. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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
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