Synonyms of authority

authority

noun

ə-ˈthȯr-ə-tē 

1

as in expert

a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field

the leading authority on neural anatomy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• expert
• master
• scholar
• adept
• virtuoso
• guru
• wizard
• artist
• specialist
• consultant
• maestro
• proficient
• past master
• professional
• ace
• hand
• geek
• hotshot
• connoisseur
• maven
• fiend
• whiz
• shark
• dab hand
• crackerjack
• enthusiast
• meister
• sharp
• craftsman
• cognoscente
• dab
• pro
• fan
• hired gun
• addict
• devotee
• mistress
• buff
• journeyman
• aficionado
• Renaissance man
• jack-of-all-trades
• all-rounder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amateur
• apprentice
• novice
• beginner
• nonexpert
• neophyte
• layman
• inexpert
• dilettante
• dabbler
• nonprofessional

2

as in government

lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation)

the sheriff had authority over the whole county

Synonyms & Similar Words

• government
• rule
• administration
• governance
• jurisdiction
• regime
• power
• reign
• sovereignty
• leadership
• dictatorship
• regimen
• tyranny
• dominion
• management
• domination
• supremacy
• supervision
• regulation
• oppression
• command
• direction
• sway
• mastery
• hegemony
• superintendence
• autocracy
• subjugation

3

as in influence

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

• influence
• sway
• leverage
• credit
• clout
• importance
• in
• weight
• pull
• juice
• sovereignty
• dominion
• heft
• dominance
• supremacy
• mastery
• command
• reign
• predominance
• impression
• eminence
• impact
• impress
• moment
• counterinfluence
• consequence
• scepter
• imprint
• mark

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakness
• helplessness
• impotence
• powerlessness
• impotency

4

as in power

the right or means to command or control others

by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married

Synonyms & Similar Words

• power
• dominion
• control
• sway
• reign
• jurisdiction
• sovereignty
• command
• mastery
• influence
• grip
• arm
• rein(s)
• clutch
• privilege
• dominance
• death grip
• management
• clout
• hold
• voice
• leverage
• prerogative
• supremacy
• direction
• importance
• right
• pull
• predominance
• eminence
• weight
• imperium
• moment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impotence
• powerlessness
• weakness
• helplessness
• impotency

5

as in reason

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

• reason
• grounds
• motive
• subject
• why
• cause
• consideration
• account
• incentive
• impetus
• inspiration
• wherefore
• antecedent
• stimulus
• occasion
• instigation

6

as in source

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

• source
• reference
• citation
• quotation
• extract
• excerpt
• footnote
• caption
• cross-reference
• note

7

as in effectiveness

the capacity to persuade

a strict grammarian whose pronouncements carried plenty of authority with my third-grade English teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

• effectiveness
• conclusiveness
• validity
• strength
• credibility
• persuasiveness
• power
• forcefulness
• cogency
• persuasion
• force
• soundness
• convincingness
• influence
• appeal
• impact
• suasiveness
• weight
• believability
• might
• authoritativeness
• punch
• definitiveness
• sway
• seductiveness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ineffectiveness
• invalidity
• inconclusiveness
• unsoundness
• ineffectuality
• powerlessness
• ineffectualness
• weakness
• shakiness
• feebleness

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun authority contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of authority are command, control, dominion, jurisdiction, power, and sway. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

When is command a more appropriate choice than authority?

While the synonyms command and authority are close in meaning, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When would control be a good substitute for authority?

The meanings of control and authority largely overlap; however, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

When might dominion be a better fit than authority?

The words dominion and authority can be used in similar contexts, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When can jurisdiction be used instead of authority?

In some situations, the words jurisdiction and authority are roughly equivalent. However, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

In what contexts can power take the place of authority?

The words power and authority are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

When could sway be used to replace authority?

The synonyms sway and authority are sometimes interchangeable, but sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of authority

The attorney general was given additional oversight authority through state statute in 2023 that requires certain health care transactions to be reviewed by the office under antitrust, charities and public interest factors, according to Odette. —Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026

Iraqi authorities agreed with the country’s autonomous Kurdistan region to reopen a pipeline, potentially freeing 400,000 barrels a day, while Asian countries are boosting coal generation, Reuters reported. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Chapek’s woes as Disney chief have been well documented, from his tangles in Florida to an ugly public spat with Scarlett Johansson to alienating top executives by removing creative decision-making authority in a hugely unpopular restructuring. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026

In late January, union members voted overwhelming to give their leadership the authority to call a strike at its discretion. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026