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Definitions

authority

[uh-thawr-i-tee, uh-thor-] / əˈθɔr ɪ ti, əˈθɒr- /




Usage

What are other ways to say authority? Authority is a power or right, usually because of rank or office, to issue commands and to punish for violations: to have authority over subordinates. Control is either power or influence applied to the complete and successful direction or manipulation of persons or things: to be in control of a project. Influence is a personal and unofficial power derived from deference of others to one's character, ability, or station; it may be exerted unconsciously or may operate through persuasion: to have influence over one's friends.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

These remaining cases have massive implications for democracy, civil liberties, and the fundamental question of who gets to be an American; they include disputes over birthright citizenship, voting rights, immigration, and executive authority.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

And she was never shy of questioning the very temerity of your questions, secure in her own power and authority despite not being adored by all Scottish voters.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

An authority that comes from nowhere visible, accountable to nothing you can touch or verify or cross-examine.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

“They lack the authority to detain or arrest suspects, intervene in crimes in progress, conduct searches, or carry firearms for enforcement purposes,” according to a May 21 report from the city agency.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

And his conduct in providing clandestine instructions to Adams’s cabinet undermined the constitutional authority of the executive branch in ways that would have landed him in jail in modern times.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis




Vocabulary lists containing authority


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