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 analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo from TFI Securities, has also indicated these are the dimensions. —David Phelan, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

The extreme heat in large parts of the world during 2024 contributed significantly to a jump in global energy demand, an authoritative new report says. —Andrew Freedman, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025

These standards seemed authoritative in part because of their vaunted universality. —Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025

Now, a few months away from his 63rd birthday, Cox is a tastemaker with an authoritative ear who makes audiences groove. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

authority + -ative

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for authoritative

• accommodative
• accumulative
• adjudicative
• administrative
• agglutinative
• ameliorative
• appreciative
• assimilative
• associative
• collaborative
• cooperative
• deliberative

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