Definition of authoritative
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
adverbauthoritativeness
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
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 of authoritative from the Web
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Stage left and in present day, Dr. Lange (Irene Adjan) delivers a crisp, authoritative lecture on the painting, its history and some of its misadventures through the ages.
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No authoritative information on the ownership of that specific aircraft has been available, but the tail number shows it is registered in Taiwan, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization, an agency of the United Nations.
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The New York Times writer researched Gehrig’s life and the story behind the movie to provide an authoritative take on what’s factual (not that much), what’s fanciful (a whole lot) and what’s a bit of both.
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The ascension of his son Vajiralongkorn, for whom Thais do not share the same admiration and affection, has led to a struggle between the military establishment and pro-democratic elite in the absence of a morally authoritative palace.
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Despite some of the outstanding people in this school, a lack of real student government and the authoritative attitude that a few teachers, administrators, and board members have, prevents students from truly developing as leaders.
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Despite some of the outstanding people in this school, a lack of real student government and the authoritative nature that a few administrators and school members have prevents students from developing as true leaders.
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A proper parent-view leads to correct parent behavior – relaxed, loving and authoritative.
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The authoritative Track & Field News form chart favors the Ducks to win the women's championship by 22 points.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'authoritative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of authoritative
see authority
AUTHORITATIVE Defined for English Language Learners
authoritative
playDefinition of authoritative for English Language Learners
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: having or showing impressive knowledge about a subject
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: having the confident quality of someone who is respected or obeyed by other people
AUTHORITATIVE Defined for Kids
authoritative
playDefinition of authoritative for Students
: having or coming from authority an authoritative order
authoritatively
adverbLearn More about authoritative
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See words that rhyme with authoritative Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for authoritative Spanish Central: Translation of authoritative Nglish: Translation of authoritative for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of authoritative for Arabic speakers
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