Synonyms for authority
əˈθɔr ɪ ti, əˈθɒr-au·thor·i·ty

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. authority

   Authority unites the right and power of control; age, wisdom, and character give authority to their possessor; a book of learned research has authority, and is even called an authority. Permission justifies another in acting without interference or censure, and usually implies some degree of approval. Authority gives a certain right of control over all that may be affected by the action. There may be a failure to object, which constitutes an implied permission, tho this is more properly expressed by allowance; we allow what we do not oppose, permit what we expressly authorize. The noun permit implies a formal written permission. License is a formal permission granted by competent authority to an individual to do some act or pursue some business which would be or is made to be unlawful without such permission; as, a license to preach, to solemnize marriages, or to sell intoxicating liquors. A license is permission granted rather than authority conferred; the sheriff has authority (not permission nor license) to make an arrest. Consent is permission by the concurrence of wills in two or more persons, a mutual approval or acceptance of something proposed. Compare ALLOW.

   Synonyms:
   allowance, authorization, consent, leave, liberty, license, permission, permit

   Antonyms:
   denial, hindrance, objection, opposition, prevention, prohibition, refusal, resistance

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. authority

   Synonyms:
   ground, justification, authenticity, genuineness, conjectureness, decisiveness, control, direction, jurisdiction, government, regulation, power, right, rule, sway, sufferance, supremacy, dominion

   Antonyms:
   groundlessness, spuriousness, indecision, inconclusiveness, inoperativeness, incompetency, weakness, usurpation, wrong

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. authority, authorization, authorisation, potency, dominance, say-sonoun

   the power or right to give orders or make decisions

   "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state"

   Synonyms:
   potence, potency, government agency, potentiality, federal agency, assurance, ascendance, authorization, ascendency, control, strength, effectiveness, self-confidence, laterality, potential, say-so, self-assurance, agency, dictum, ascendancy, sanction, dominance, sureness, confidence, bureau, office, empowerment, ascendence, authorisation, mandate, pronouncement

2. authoritynoun

   (usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others

   "the authorities have issued a curfew"

   Synonyms:
   potency, assurance, dominance, self-assurance, confidence, government agency, federal agency, sanction, self-confidence, office, authorisation, authorization, bureau, agency, sureness, say-so

3. authoritynoun

   an expert whose views are taken as definitive

   "he is an authority on corporate law"

   Synonyms:
   potency, assurance, dominance, self-assurance, confidence, government agency, federal agency, sanction, self-confidence, office, authorisation, authorization, bureau, agency, sureness, say-so

4. assurance, self-assurance, confidence, self-confidence, authority, surenessnoun

   freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

   "his assurance in his superiority did not make him popular"; "after that failure he lost his confidence"; "she spoke with authority"

   Synonyms:
   potency, pledge, sanction, dominance, assurance, authorization, trust, self-confidence, say-so, self-assurance, federal agency, agency, bureau, sureness, confidence, government agency, office, authorisation

5. agency, federal agency, government agency, bureau, office, authoritynoun

   an administrative unit of government

   "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority"

   Synonyms:
   assurance, billet, berth, means, confidence, chest of drawers, spot, bureau, delegacy, role, office staff, function, dominance, post, dresser, sanction, part, self-assurance, power, way, say-so, sureness, place, representation, government agency, agency, chest, position, business office, self-confidence, potency, authorisation, situation, office, authorization, federal agency

6. authority, authorization, authorisation, sanctionnoun

   official permission or approval

   "authority for the program was renewed several times"

   Synonyms:
   endorsement, potency, government agency, countenance, federal agency, assurance, authorization, self-confidence, warrant, say-so, self-assurance, indorsement, agency, sanction, dominance, sureness, confidence, bureau, office, imprimatur, empowerment, authorisation, mandate

7. authoritynoun

   an authoritative written work

   "this book is the final authority on the life of Milton"

   Synonyms:
   potency, assurance, dominance, self-assurance, confidence, government agency, federal agency, sanction, self-confidence, office, authorisation, authorization, bureau, agency, sureness, say-so

Matched Categories

1. • Administrative Unit
   • Book
   • Certainty
   • Control
   • Expert
   • Permission
   • Person

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. guardian

   someone who takes care of you or is in charged of you

   my guardian is the person who takes care of me

   Submitted by rinat on September 9, 2019  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   power, sovereignty, dominion, empire, government

2. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   rule, sway, ascendency, supremacy, control, influence, interest

3. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   permission, warrant, warranty, liberty, permit, precept, order, authorization, sanction

4. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   witness, testimony

5. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   credibility, weight of evidence

6. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   respectability, dignity, weight of character

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 2 votes

1. authoritynoun

   Synonyms:
   dominion, jurisdiction, authorization, right, prestige, influence, ascendency, supremacy, precedent, justification, warrant, permission, sanction, permit, license, warranty, credibility, reliability, trustworthiness

   Associated words:
   purview

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "authority":

   power, authorities, authorization, powers, administration, hkma, authorisation, body, competence, agency, jurisdiction, autorité, credentials, permission, authoritative, directors, authorized, 'autorité, pa, eaa, organa, authoritativeness, entity, supervision, authorizations, leadership, oversight, approval, institution, trustees

Suggested Resources

1. authority

   The authority symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the authority symbol and its characteristic.

How to pronounce authority?

How to say authority in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use authority in a sentence?

1. State John Kerry on Saturday:

   If the Palestinian Authority ceases, or were to cease security cooperation, or even decide to disband as a result of their economic predicament, and that could happen in the future if they don't receive additional revenues, then we would be faced by yet another crisis, we are working hard to prevent that from happening and that is why we have been reaching out to key stakeholders to express these concerns and also to try to work together to find a solution to this challenge.

2. Denis Diderot:

   The decisions of law courts should never be printed: in the long run, they form a counter authority to the law.

3. Timothy Sandefur:

   It’s a shameful abuse of authority and a form of bullying by school officials who are the employees of Callie and Debra, for the school board to turn around and sue them for trying to be engaged citizens concerned about what’s going on in public schools their tax dollars pay for – it’s disgraceful and the school board should be ashamed of its behavior.

4. The Alabama Republican:

   Right now ICE has got their hands tied. President Biden is pulling them back everyday in terms of having any kind of authority with illegal immigration, with people in the communities, ... It gives full authority to local policemen, sheriffs, city police, which, right now, they don’t have the authority of what I said.

5. Orrin Hatch:

   Given concerns expressed by Senator Wyden, we're going to postpone tomorrow's hearing and continue our discussion on how best to advance America's trade agenda, including legislation to renew job-creating Trade Promotion Authority.