authoritative

adjective

au·thor·i·ta·tive | \ ə-ˈthär-ə-ˌtā-tiv

, ȯ-, -ˈthȯr-\

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

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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

Not even Hughes’ authoritative biographer Arnold Rampersad could identify the manuscript. — Steven Hoelscher, Smithsonian, "A Lost Work by Langston Hughes Examines the Harsh Life on the Chain Gang," 9 July 2019 Never Try to Outrun a Tornado Several authoritative sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), warn that twisters are too fast to outrun. — Kiona Smith-strickland, Popular Mechanics, "The Truth Behind 7 Common Tornado Myths," 9 July 2019 Be cautious while traveling or dealing with authoritative people. — Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, "Horoscopes: July 6, 2019," 6 July 2019 With Ahearn, Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon and other members of Popovich’s staff at the club’s practice facility Thursday there were plenty of authoritative voices. — Tom Orsborn, ExpressNews.com, "Spurs’ Walker shows growth as leader, defender," 27 June 2019 The Ducks do have younger players such as forwards Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell and goalie John Gibson, among others, to build around and Eakins will be the authoritative voice for them, along with captain Ryan Getzlaf. — Curtis Zupke, latimes.com, "Ducks expected to hire Dallas Eakins as their next coach," 16 June 2019 In some states, there is no authoritative court ruling, leaving law enforcement authorities to decide for themselves. — Jon Schuppe, NBC News, "Give up your password or go to jail: Police push legal boundaries to get into cellphones," 7 June 2019 Does your furry friend have a commanding and authoritative presence? — Michele Petry, House Beautiful, "Here's How to Turn Your Pet Into a Renaissance Masterpiece," 17 May 2019 In fact, the Court’s finding that the process of decolonialization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed is authoritative both in terms of what the law says and what the obligations of states, including the UK, actually are. — Elena Katselli, Quartz Africa, "Britain’s refusal to hand back Chagos Islands has echoes of colonial-era arrogance," 11 June 2019

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.