authoritative

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​ta·​tive ə-ˈthȯr-ə-ˌtā-tiv 

ȯ-,

-ˈthär-

1

: having, marked by, or proceeding from authority

authoritative church doctrines

an authoritative decision

an authoritative manner

2

: possessing recognized or evident authority : clearly accurate or knowledgeable

an authoritative critique

an authoritative source of information

authoritatively adverb

authoritativeness noun

Synonyms

• classic
• classical
• definitive
• magisterial

Examples of authoritative in a Sentence

The book is an authoritative guide to the city's restaurants.

His manner is polite but authoritative.

She addressed the group with an authoritative voice.

Recent Examples on the Web

The authoritative report features a comprehensive dataset on every light duty vehicle sold in the United States since 1975and provides sophisticated analysis of the major trends shaping the industry’s environmental outcomes. —Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2024

High-quality backlinks from reputable news sites and industry publications, often due to successful PR efforts, signal to search engines that a brand is trustworthy and authoritative. —Amy Packard Berry, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

It may have been dropped by an important and authoritative figure passing through the area, or it may have been deliberately buried. —Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 5 Dec. 2024

His matter-of-fact voiceover, while authoritative, laments that movie’s lack of success. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 25 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

authority + -ative

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

authoritative

adjective

au·​thor·​i·​ta·​tive ə-ˈthär-ə-ˌtāt-iv 

ȯ-,

-ˈthȯr-

: having or coming from authority

authoritatively adverb

authoritativeness noun