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
An 18-year-old man was arrested on Friday for a deadly shooting that happened in Victorville over the weekend, according to San Bernardino County authorities.
—
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Iraqi authorities are continuing the search for American journalist Shelly Kittleson who was kidnapped March 31 on a busy street in central Baghdad, Reuters reported.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
The tragedy remains under investigation by the local sheriff and state occupational safety authorities.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
The couple turned that stuff over, and the three got in their vehicle and drove down Cole Road, authorities said.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 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
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Iraqi authorities are continuing the search for American journalist Shelly Kittleson who was kidnapped March 31 on a busy street in central Baghdad, Reuters reported.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
The tragedy remains under investigation by the local sheriff and state occupational safety authorities.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
The couple turned that stuff over, and the three got in their vehicle and drove down Cole Road, authorities said.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 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
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
-
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
-
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
-
By accounting for how the rotating plasma core influences flows at the edge of the magnetic field, scientists can now predict exhaust behavior with more accuracy.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Country music has long evolved by absorbing new influences.—
Amelia Edelman,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As the lead of the series, much of the contents of its first and second installment have centered around Marie’s mammoth powers of hemokinesis, which came to a new turning point at the end of season two.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That the threshold, once determined, would enable Victor to keep the death at bay without giving up his powers.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 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
-
My patient is refusing a drug studied in 170,000 people because of side effects that a 124,000-person analysis just confirmed do not exist — while injecting a compound studied in 14 humans, from unregulated sources, based on the recommendation of someone who profits from selling it.—
Vikas Patel,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact and thousands of one-way attack drones are still in its arsenal despite weeks of daily US and Israeli strikes on military targets, according to recent US intelligence assessments, three sources familiar with the intel told CNN.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Akçam is widely recognized as one of the first Turkish scholars to write extensively on the Ottoman-Turkish Genocide of the Armenians in the early 20th century.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
As Richard Reeves and other scholars of modern masculinity have made clear, men are not doing well.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 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
-
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 5 Apr. 2026.
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