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
Banks are required by law to report suspicious activity in customer accounts to federal authorities in order to flag potential criminal activity, such as money laundering or fraud.
—
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Late Friday, Israeli authorities said Iran had launched missiles at the country that killed a 52-year-old man in Tel Aviv.
—Farnoush Amiri, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The Land Rover attempted to pass the truck but clipped the back of the trailer, according to authorities.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
In March, Hungarian counterterrorism authorities seized two trucks, owned by a Ukrainian bank, that were passing through the country on a routine cash-transport run from Vienna.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of the city's Daedeok district, said authorities were searching for at least 14 other people believed to have been inside the facility when the fire broke out.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
The World Health Organization and Lebanese health authorities said more than 100 of those killed were children.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
Five Mexican nationals were indicted on federal drug trafficking and weapons charges this week after authorities discovered a clandestine methamphetamine lab in Northern California, leading to the seizure of nearly 3,000 pounds of the drug, officials said.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
In addition, individual countries' civil aviation authorities, including the UAE's GCCA, are obliged to issue detailed directives known as Notam (Notice to Airmen).
—Clare Dight, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Late Friday, Israeli authorities said Iran had launched missiles at the country that killed a 52-year-old man in Tel Aviv.
—Farnoush Amiri, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The Land Rover attempted to pass the truck but clipped the back of the trailer, according to authorities.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
In March, Hungarian counterterrorism authorities seized two trucks, owned by a Ukrainian bank, that were passing through the country on a routine cash-transport run from Vienna.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of the city's Daedeok district, said authorities were searching for at least 14 other people believed to have been inside the facility when the fire broke out.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
The World Health Organization and Lebanese health authorities said more than 100 of those killed were children.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
Five Mexican nationals were indicted on federal drug trafficking and weapons charges this week after authorities discovered a clandestine methamphetamine lab in Northern California, leading to the seizure of nearly 3,000 pounds of the drug, officials said.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
In addition, individual countries' civil aviation authorities, including the UAE's GCCA, are obliged to issue detailed directives known as Notam (Notice to Airmen).
—Clare Dight, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorities
Noun
-
By this point, experts were warning that half a million people in Gaza were at risk of starvation, and organizations such as the Rabbinical Assembly, an association of Conservative rabbis, were urging immediate action to alleviate civilian suffering.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Health experts have called for new laws and better enforcement of existing regulations, and officials in many places are taking action.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Separately, the Syrian and UAE governments condemned an attack targeting the residence of the Kurdish region's president Nechirvan Barzani.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2026
-
In the short term, governments are returning to coal—the dirtiest of fossil fuels—to keep the lights on.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dishes like jerk chicken and rice and beans cooked in coconut milk reflect the region’s deep Jamaican and British colonial influences that are distinctive from other parts of Costa Rica.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Volatility influences aspects such as funding rates, liquidation thresholds and margin needs.—
Felysha Walker,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the Middle East, Western imperial powers helped engineer a geopolitical order built on instability, mistrust, extraction and armed dependency.—
Mehrnoush Soroush,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The justices ordered the page be released, which paved the way for the expansive powers grand juries have today to investigate and criticize public officials and entities.—
Lawrence Mower,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In this case, that blend of tradition and artistic interpretation resulted in a final product that stood out—if not entirely for the reasons the bride expected.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
One of the reasons American troops would be vulnerable on Kharg Island is its close proximity to the Iranian mainland, from which missiles, drones and artillery could be fired.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fatalities data, the group says, is based on a range of sources, including sources among medical workers, publicly available images and official statements.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The attack consisted of Iranian missiles and drones, sources told CBS News.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When China began to dominate that metric, some of its universities were paying cash rewards to scholars for each publication, and a lot of Chinese research papers were shoddy make-work.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As scholars of post-9/11 racialization have shown, people taken to be Arab or Middle Eastern were widely cast as potential security threats, regardless of their religious identity.—
Candace Lukasik,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pro-immigration advocates, meanwhile, have accused the administration of punishing legal immigrants who are complying with immigration rules.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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But many states have more stringent rules, and regulations vary widely.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authorities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorities. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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