Home Synonyms authority

Synonyms of authority in English:

authority


See US English definition of authority

See UK English definition of authority

See Spanish definition of autoridad

noun

1‘he had absolute authority over his subordinates’

SYNONYMS
power, jurisdiction, command, control, mastery, charge, dominance, dominion, rule, sovereignty, ascendancy, supremacy, domination
influence, sway, the upper hand, leverage, hold, grip
informal clout, pull, muscle, teeth
North American informal drag

2‘military forces have the legal authority to arrest drug traffickers’

SYNONYMS
authorization, right, power, mandate, prerogative, licence
carte blanche
historical droit

3‘the money was spent without parliamentary authority’

SYNONYMS
authorization, permission, consent, leave, sanction, licence, dispensation, assent, acquiescence, agreement, approval, seal of approval, approbation, endorsement, imprimatur, clearance
informal the go-ahead, the thumbs up, the OK, the green light, say-so
rare permit

4authorities‘the plight of the refugees was acknowledged by the authorities’

SYNONYMS
officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the government, the administration, the establishment, the bureaucracy, the system
the police
informal the powers that be, the suits, the men in suits, Big Brother

5‘he has the natural authority of one who is used to being obeyed’

SYNONYMS
influence, sway, control, leverage, power, command, weight
reputation, standing, kudos, status, stature, prestige, gravitas, image, esteem
supremacy, superiority, eminence
rank, position, station
credibility, plausibility, integrity
acceptance, trust, faith, confidence
informal clout, pull
North American informal drag

6‘he was an authority on the stock market’

SYNONYMS
expert, specialist, professional, pundit, oracle, past master, master, maestro, doyen, adept
guru, sage, scholar
connoisseur, aficionado, one of the cognoscenti
informal walking encyclopedia, bible, buff, boffin, ace, pro, whizz, wizard
British informal dab hand
North American informal maven, crackerjack

7‘the court cited a series of authorities supporting their decision’

SYNONYMS
source, reference, piece of documentation
citation, quotation, quote, excerpt, passage

8‘I have it on good authority that you were there’

SYNONYMS
evidence, testimony, witness, attestation, sworn statement, declaration, word, avowal, deposition, profession