1
as in experts
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
the leading authority on neural anatomy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in governments
lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation)
the sheriff had authority over the whole county
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in influences
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
speaks with a persuasive authority on matters of public health
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others
by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in reasons
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
I had good authority to believe that the information was correct
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in sources
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information
the Bible is the sole authority for his impassioned defense of creationism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of authorities
Three days after the Pennsylvania attack, a sniper opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus in Atlanta, authorities said.
—
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2025
The search for Decker spanned three counties, led authorities to Canada and Mexico and involved several local and federal agencies, only for his remains to be found less than a mile from where the girls’ bodies were discovered.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
The victims were detainees, authorities said.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Decker was last seen alive with his three daughters on May 30, according to authorities.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
These include the offices of the country’s beleaguered transitional authorities and the National Palace, and Pétion-Ville either on the verge of collapse or invaded by armed groups.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Georgescu, a pro-Russian candidate, was detained by Romanian authorities in late February after an investigation into his campaign was launched on allegations of election fraud and Russian interference.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
The attack was the third in less than two months that French authorities attributed to Islamic extremists, and prompted the government to raise its security alert to the maximum level.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Galloway Township detectives busted up the sadistic operation after uncovering online invitations to a March 2024 event, scheduled to take place at a private residence with an arena built specifically to host rooster fights, authorities said.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2025
The search for Decker spanned three counties, led authorities to Canada and Mexico and involved several local and federal agencies, only for his remains to be found less than a mile from where the girls’ bodies were discovered.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
The victims were detainees, authorities said.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
Decker was last seen alive with his three daughters on May 30, according to authorities.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
These include the offices of the country’s beleaguered transitional authorities and the National Palace, and Pétion-Ville either on the verge of collapse or invaded by armed groups.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Georgescu, a pro-Russian candidate, was detained by Romanian authorities in late February after an investigation into his campaign was launched on allegations of election fraud and Russian interference.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
The attack was the third in less than two months that French authorities attributed to Islamic extremists, and prompted the government to raise its security alert to the maximum level.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Galloway Township detectives busted up the sadistic operation after uncovering online invitations to a March 2024 event, scheduled to take place at a private residence with an arena built specifically to host rooster fights, authorities said.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorities
Noun
-
The best line of defense Regardless of what technology platforms a school enlists, experts overwhelmingly support investments in training staff on lockdown protocols, brokering relationships with students, and generating a community built on trust.—
Tonya Simpson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
-
One lawsuit, against China, ended in a judgment against the country that experts said will likely never be enforced.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Newsom vetoed the bill, warning that rigid requirements could drive talent and investment out of California without meaningfully improving safety, a concern echoed by governments worldwide, hesitant to impose strong guardrails.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Sep. 2025
-
When governments fail to deliver services, instead extracting value, Chayes’s book warns, radical alternatives can become far more appealing than the actual state.—
Zephyr Teachout,
The Atlantic,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Decades of research have not yielded firm answers on what contributes to autism, but many scientists believe genetics, potentially in combination with environmental influences, play a role.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
-
The one-year rate influences most new and outstanding loans, while the five-year benchmark affects mortgages.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The reimposition of sanctions highlights a nuclear deadlock that is likely to hinder Western powers from monitoring Iran's nuclear activities in the future, especially after Tehran has banned inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from accessing sites.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Set in a school for students with dangerous powers, where teachers feast on their pupils upon graduation, this novel centers on a group of classmates who must team up to save themselves from a brutal end.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Trump has leaned heavily on the courts during his second term to challenge media outlets, but as of Wednesday night, the president’s legal team has not brought a new lawsuit against ABC, for predictable reasons, according to experts.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Sinkholes, depressions in the ground caused by the sudden collapse of the surface layer, can form for various reasons, including natural causes like intense rainfall, flooding or drought, as well as human activities such as construction and aging infrastructure.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Angels attorney Todd Theodora argued that Skaggs had multiple sources for drugs aside from Kay.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
-
When folded, the new device would look like two iPhone Airs stacked together, sources tell Gurman.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Tylenol and the pressure to 'tough it out' Medical experts and scholars worry that the recent claims about Tylenol put pregnant women and families in a difficult bind.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The speakers include a range of prominent writers such as Ali Abunimah, scholars and influencers in Arab American and other communities, including Mehdi Hassan, Bassem Youssef and Cenk Uygur.—
Niraj Warikoo,
Freep.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Profit and sustainability rules (PSR), inevitably, were a frequent topic, but there were plenty of others, too, ranging from the intricacies of football accounting to the broader question of why NFL teams are routinely deemed more valuable than clubs from what is the world’s most popular sport.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Texas’ rules and regulations about housing and construction and summer camps immediately came under scrutiny by environmentalists and urban planners.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Authorities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorities. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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