authorities

noun

plural of authority
1
as in experts
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field the leading authority on neural anatomy

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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

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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

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4
as in powers
the right or means to command or control others by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married

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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

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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

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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 A little more than two hours after the 911 call, with a regional SWAT team and Cowley County sheriff’s deputies joining the standoff, authorities breached the home and found the bodies, DeLong said. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026 Turkey is the main foreign backer of Dbeibah's government, but in recent years has also reached out to the rival authorities in eastern Libya in an attempt to mend their ties, and as part of regional efforts to unify the North African country. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Here's what every boater should know As authorities continue to investigate Saturday night's tragic boat crash that killed a mother and her 5-month-old baby, the Coast Guard is reminding the public about the rules of the water. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Chamapuro called on authorities to send food and medicine, saying one person in the community was injured. — Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 Rescuers secured the patient and brought them onto the helicopter, authorities said. — Arkansas Online, 12 Aug. 2026 At the time of his arrest authorities also determined that Taele was a suspect in a robbery case being investigated by the El Segundo Police Department. — Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 But the software pre-certification pilot program could not be fully implemented within the FDA’s existing statutory authorities. — Dana P. Goldman, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026 Goodall and his team had a container at the docks in London ready to ship the ring on a boat, only to be told at the last minute their paperwork would not be accepted by the Egyptian authorities. — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authorities
  1. experts
  2. governments
  3. influences
  4. powers
  5. reasons
  6. sources
  7. scholars
  8. rules
Noun
  • The idea that the relationship was ending sets off alarm bells for experts like Nikki Engel, who serves as the co-executive director of Violence Free Minnesota.
    — Conor Wight, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Universities are breaking the economic bargain that once kept experts in the classroom.
    — Francisco Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of experts
Noun
  • Other governments, including the US, have their own rules and disclosure requirements, but beyond the breadth of the controls in China, the sheer number of people affected is striking – and reaches far beyond civil servants.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • And there are opponents of that movement who point to the failed socialist governments in Latin American is proof that socialism doesn't always work.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of governments
Noun
  • The tradition has also integrated influences from Christianity as well as various European and Native American folk traditions, resulting in the formation of a uniquely American religious practice.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Her lyrics, like those of many of her biggest musical influences, are dense texts, full of winking allusions and subtle references to records, bands, and albums that have shaped her own songwriting.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of influences
Noun
  • The lawsuit argued that the new rules incorrectly preempt states’ powers to regulate how the interest generated by mortgage escrow accounts is handled.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Madness, and all thanks to the powers of drunken room service.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of powers
Noun
  • Someone who bought a Powerball ticket at a Front Range grocery store this week has many, many reasons to celebrate – 500,000 reasons before tax, to be exact.
    — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Maresca knows that some players need a fresh start for various reasons, which is why James Trafford moved on, despite his close relationship with the Italian from their time together in the under-23s.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of reasons
Noun
  • Mangione's lawyers and federal prosecutors in Manhattan also discussed a possible guilty plea in his federal case in June, sources previously told ABC News.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The first task is to inventory potential sources of liability.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of sources
Noun
  • Only in the 21st century have historians and scholars in the study of religion pursued more cautious academic research on Hoodoo.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Gittelsohn, a painter who attended the now-shuttered San Francisco Art Institute in the 1970s, located across the street from the couple’s home, reached out to about 50 scholars and art experts about the origins of the bust.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of scholars
Noun
  • The question for several speakers was not necessarily whether data centers should exist in Marietta, but what rules should govern them.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • New federal rules are creating issues for states The federal rules in question were first proposed last year and were finalized in May.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rules

Browse Nearby Words

authoritativeness
authorities
authority
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Cite this Entry

“Authorities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authorities. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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