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
Health authorities said Congo has stockpiles of Ebola treatments and approximately 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, though officials cautioned the vaccine is only effective against the Ebola Zaire strain and not against Sudan or Bundibugyo variants.
—
Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
After undergoing several procedures, Fernandez-Delgado is doing well and continuing to recover at home, authorities say.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
His certainty comes after Lisa Ribacoff-Mooney, a polygraph expert and the owner of Interpoint Investigative Services, told RadarOnline that Guthrie is likely dead and she will probably never be found, because authorities just don’t know where to look.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 May 2026
In Hubei province, some robots will become the first in the country to receive unique ID card numbers, allowing authorities to track their full life-cycle activities.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Her husband died about a week later of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s, authorities said.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
The authorities are starting to work.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
Home internet and Wi-Fi will be unaffected, authorities said.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
The 1-year-old was flown to Parkland Hospital with serious injuries, according to authorities.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
After undergoing several procedures, Fernandez-Delgado is doing well and continuing to recover at home, authorities say.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
His certainty comes after Lisa Ribacoff-Mooney, a polygraph expert and the owner of Interpoint Investigative Services, told RadarOnline that Guthrie is likely dead and she will probably never be found, because authorities just don’t know where to look.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 May 2026
In Hubei province, some robots will become the first in the country to receive unique ID card numbers, allowing authorities to track their full life-cycle activities.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Her husband died about a week later of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s, authorities said.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
The authorities are starting to work.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
Home internet and Wi-Fi will be unaffected, authorities said.
—ABC News, 8 May 2026
The 1-year-old was flown to Parkland Hospital with serious injuries, according to authorities.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorities
Noun
-
That increases polarization and can lead to gridlock in Congress, according to experts.—
Ashley Wu,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Data center projects are likely to migrate to parts of Europe with lower power costs, creating winners and losers across the continent, the experts said.—
April Roach,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Tribal governments and Catholic leaders argue that the projects violate religious freedom and federal protections.—
Julie Watson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
-
The Court’s opinion was not a direct order forcing governments to close coal mines the next morning.—
Ingmar Rentzhog,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The film blends psychological thriller elements with transhumanist themes and body horror influences.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
In addition to these external influences, Dini emphasized that long-term domestic instability has left Somalia’s coastline vulnerable, weakening local institutions and lowering the risks for pirate networks.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The world’s leading space powers desperately want to know what the others are up to high above the equator.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
-
Does Claire somehow heal him with her powers?—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
There are many reasons to be concerned about this particular Ebola outbreak.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Numerous Democratic officeholders raised questions about whether Colbert was axed for political reasons.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Multiple sources later confirmed their split to PEOPLE in January 2025, though they were spotted together on several occasions in the months to follow.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
On carbon, nuclear is among the lowest-emission energy sources, emitting roughly 12 grams of CO₂-equivalent per kilowatt-hour and rivaling wind.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Stanford scholars forecast that average households may spend $857 more on gasoline in 2026.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Science communication scholars originally ascribed to a top-down, one-way model of communication.—
Prodromos Yannas,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Golf’s elite spaces and long-standing rules don’t always make room for those who don’t abide by norms.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
The piece suggests that for many voters, especially Democrats and left-leaning independents, candidate choice is being driven less by enthusiasm than by anxiety over the rules of the state’s top-two primary.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Authorities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorities. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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