AUTHORITY Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'authority' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of authority are command , control , dominion , jurisdiction , power , and sway . While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits. // granted the authority to manage her estate

Q: When is 'command' a more appropriate choice than 'authority'?

While the synonyms command and authority are close in meaning, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience. // the army officer in command

Q: When would 'control' be a good substitute for 'authority'?

The meanings of control and authority largely overlap; however, control stresses the power to direct and restrain. // you are responsible for the students under your control

Q: When might 'dominion' be a better fit than 'authority'?

The words dominion and authority can be used in similar contexts, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority. // given dominion over all the animals

Q: When can 'jurisdiction' be used instead of 'authority'?

In some situations, the words jurisdiction and authority are roughly equivalent. However, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits. // the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

Q: In what contexts can 'power' take the place of 'authority'?

The words power and authority are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence. // the power to mold public opinion

Q: When could 'sway' be used to replace 'authority'?

The synonyms sway and authority are sometimes interchangeable, but sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence. // the empire extended its sway over the region

authority

noun

ə-ˈthȯr-ə-tē

Definition of authority

as in expert

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

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as in government

lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation) the sheriff had authority over the whole county

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as in influence

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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as in power

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

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as in reason

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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as in source

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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as in effectiveness

the capacity to persuade a strict grammarian whose pronouncements carried plenty of authority with my third-grade English teacher

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun authority contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of authority are command, control, dominion, jurisdiction, power, and sway. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

When is command a more appropriate choice than authority?

While the synonyms command and authority are close in meaning, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When would control be a good substitute for authority?

The meanings of control and authority largely overlap; however, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

When might dominion be a better fit than authority?

The words dominion and authority can be used in similar contexts, but dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When can jurisdiction be used instead of authority?

In some situations, the words jurisdiction and authority are roughly equivalent. However, jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

In what contexts can power take the place of authority?

The words power and authority are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

When could sway be used to replace authority?

The synonyms sway and authority are sometimes interchangeable, but sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

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 authority The teens walked away from the wreck with few injuries and tried to run, but authorities apprehended them shortly afterward, officials said. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 The flooding also prompted alerts in northern India, where authorities evacuated thousands of people in Bihar as rivers flowing from the Himalayas rose. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 In places where infants have a high risk of measles exposure, health authorities sometimes recommend an early dose of the vaccine for babies starting at 6 months old. — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 Lawrence played with the authority and command Jacksonville envisioned from the beginning. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for authority

Recent Examples of Synonyms for authority

Noun

These experts assign ratings after analyzing a company's financials and ability to consistently pay dividends while also seeking capital appreciation.

— TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
Leading the way in court There are dozens of cases across the country surrounding the legal status of prediction sites, and experts believe the matter will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court.

— Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of expert

Noun

Structural inflation, fueled by government deficits, AI investments, low unemployment rates, growing trade barriers and energy disruptions, is reshaping the landscape for markets, according to Fidelity International.

— Justina Lee, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
The healthcare industry's voluntary agreements appeal to voters who feel government regulation drives up costs and places unnecessary burdens on businesses, some supporters say.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of government

Noun

As Itauma continued attempting to throw power punches, Hrgović knew his opponent had nothing left and went for the kill.

— Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
The last act before festival founder Olivia Rodrigo, Roan turned it out with all of her powers—bolstered by a bold and bitchy, razor-sharp bob.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of power

Noun

Salesforce and other software stocks have perked up over the past month, as sentiment around the group improved for a couple of reasons, including a Reuters report on take-private talks involving HR software provider Workday .

— Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
At face value, young men exercising should not be reason to sound the alarms, and yet there is something treacherous about men in their formative years placing physical beauty as the ultimate expression of self-actualization.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of reason

Noun

Anna Watson’s lighting keeps much of the house just dim enough to make the imagination dangerous, while Tony winner Gareth Fry’s sound design surrounds the audience with ominous noises whose sources aren’t always immediately clear.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Amazon also looked to capitalize on the demand for AI training by marketing MTurk as a data annotation source for its SageMaker service.

— Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of source

Noun

Implement a digital visual-management platform across six facilities to standardize workflows and improve infection prevention, care coordination, workforce effectiveness, quality, and patient safety.

— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
Apart from the penalty, Meta agreed as part of the settlement to algorithmic changes that could dampen engagement and the effectiveness of its advertising, dampening investor sentiment toward the resolution of the case.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of effectiveness

Noun

Related Articles Liberation of Flowers is debuting with three scents developed with master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, who created Polo Blue for Ralph Lauren, Burberry London, Amber Absolute for Tom Ford, Thierry Mugler’s Aura and more.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
The service got its name from the original Mechanical Turk, an 18th century chess-playing robot that was actually controlled by a human chess master.

— Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of master

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authorities

authority

authorization

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Style

“Authority.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authority. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of authority

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Synonyms of authority

noun

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