authorities

plural of authority
1
2
3
4
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of authorities Ayman Soliman, a former hospital chaplain, has been detained by immigration authorities since July after losing his asylum status. Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2025 The couple is accused of killing their 7-month-old son despite the fact that authorities have yet to find the infant's remains. Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025 The French minister of culture and regional authorities were the ones who granted Herzog access to the cave. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025 When police arrived, a group of over 50 people surrounded authorities’ vehicles as some individuals climbed on top, ultimately causing some damage to the cruisers. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025 O'Hara said the shooter did not have a criminal history and authorities are still investigating a possible motive. Charna Flam, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Turner, as the HUD secretary, is required to report the findings of those investigations to the attorney general, and federal law enforcement authorities, as well as the District’s housing authority and police department, as needed, according to the order. Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025 Smart contracts also automate the rules, so there’s no need for typical centralized authorities. Daniel Keller, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 According to police, the former QB refused a field sobriety test at the scene and was later taken to a hospital, where a blood sample was taken after authorities got a search warrant. Ben Church, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorities
Noun
  • Taiwanese policy experts fear that this lack of access to the president will make renegotiating the tariffs impossible.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • One major concern experts have flagged is liquidity risks in private asset funds.
    Jenni Reid,Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • African governments have long complained that ratings agencies unfairly downgrade them relative to non-African peers, pushing up borrowing costs.
    Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Expect governments to tighten rules, requiring companies to track and disclose their dependencies.
    Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This roster runs particularly deep, from the boogie-woogie blues (Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters) to the bar rock scene (Smashing Pumpkins, Fall Out Boy) and the extensive hip-hop multiverse (where both gospel and drill influences abound).
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Goodman’s novel is a tribute to her influences, and a crackling joy to read.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Roald Dahl's beloved 1988 novel about a young girl named Matilda with telekinetic powers has gotten its fair share of adaptations over the years.
    Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Witnessing the rise of the internet, cellphones and social media as a teenager, Acutis harnessed these new powers of communication and coded a website to catalogue and promote eucharistic miracles.
    Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Trump claimed without evidence that McEntarfer had manipulated statistics for political reasons.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Housing is one of the reasons anyone in tech will tell you that the industry is thriving in California largely in spite of regulations, not because of them.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And more than 60 million Americans rely on drinking water from rivers and aquifers whose sources are within national forests.
    Ryan Gellert, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The #Eagles’ trade for Tank Bigsby is in part due to a need for another kick returner, sources say.
    Matt Wadleigh, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Leading genocide scholars passed a resolution this week that declared Israel’s actions in Gaza had met the legal definition of genocide.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, meanwhile, is referred to by public scholars and media in a variety of ways that emphasize Russia or President Vladimir Putin as an aggressive antagonist.
    Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • See rules for Competitive Wordle toward the end of this post.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Both levels are far above EU rules demanding that individual members’ deficits should not exceed 3% of GDP, while their public debt should not surpass 60% of economic output.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Authorities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorities. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on authorities

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!