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
Whereas serif fonts feel authoritative and timeless, sans serif fonts can feel modern or informal.
—
Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Ralphs’ tasteful, authoritative and often-underrated guitar work and songwriting acumen were a trademark of both bands across the 1970s.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 23 June 2025
She was dressed in a conservative suit and low heels and in her soothing but authoritative voice reminded me of a flight attendant delivering in-flight instructions.
—Lisa Pratta
june 12, Literary Hub, 12 June 2025
From its cute-fake soundstage-town setting to the authoritative yet chummy voice-over narration (courtesy of Nick Offerman), The Life of Chuck works doggedly to give you the warm fuzzies—and a little bit of that fuzz goes a long way.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for authoritative
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Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Ralphs’ tasteful, authoritative and often-underrated guitar work and songwriting acumen were a trademark of both bands across the 1970s.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 23 June 2025
She was dressed in a conservative suit and low heels and in her soothing but authoritative voice reminded me of a flight attendant delivering in-flight instructions.
—Lisa Pratta
june 12, Literary Hub, 12 June 2025
From its cute-fake soundstage-town setting to the authoritative yet chummy voice-over narration (courtesy of Nick Offerman), The Life of Chuck works doggedly to give you the warm fuzzies—and a little bit of that fuzz goes a long way.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 June 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 10 Jul. 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
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