1
as in definitive
being the most accurate and apparently thorough this book is considered the most authoritative source on that subject

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in influential
having power over the minds or behavior of others after a couple of authoritative critics panned the movie, the other reviewers rushed to say how awful it was

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

Examples 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 authoritative Washington so far has remained largely silent regarding Iran's role in enabling Houthi attacks, despite authoritative evidence that weapons deliveries from the Islamic Republic are responsible for making the group's activities possible. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024 Written with the insight and wit that are the trademarks of John Thelin’s other books on higher education, College Sports offers an authoritative account of the good and the bad that intercollegiate athletics has brought to our institutions of higher education. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024 Sound quality, meanwhile, is above average with crisp highs, authoritative bass, and excellent noise cancellation. Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 29 Nov. 2024 His ability to get his team back on track with an authoritative win would speak volumes about the legitimacy of Washington’s turnaround. Mike Jones, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for authoritative 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for authoritative
Adjective
  • Nearly 35 years on from his release, Channel 4 has made a definitive documentary series charting Nelson Mandela‘s journey.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Now comes the hard part: taking definitive, concrete steps to strengthen those practices and mitigate those risks in the face of disparate regulatory frameworks in the regional, country and state jurisdictions within the organization’s operating footprint.
    Jim DeLoach, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Now an influential name in the industry, Vincent’s journey began in a different realm: geology.
    Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Beginning In the 1970s, AWB became an influential act in funk and soul, admired by the likes of Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Ben E King, and topping both the Hot 100 and R&B charts.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • If the impeachment is confirmed by the Constitutional Court, Yoon will become the fourth South Korean president — out of eight total — to be jailed or ousted since the nation democratized in 1987 after decades of authoritarian rule.
    Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Meanwhile, Georgia’s relations with the EU have deteriorated sharply in recent months as Brussels has alleged that the government had resorted to authoritarian measures and adopted pro-Russian stances.
    Christian Edwards, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • In the album category, leading with Album of the Year, projects from genres that add color to music culture awards will be recognized including jazz, classical music, movie music/original soundtracks albums, and video game soundtracks.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 17 Dec. 2024
  • For the next hour and half, alongside the Indian classical musician Rahul Sharma, Hussain put on a display of bona fide musical sorcery.
    Taran Dugal, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The Attitude Era succeeded on the backs of all-time greats Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, with Vince McMahon a domineering force both behind the scenes and on camera.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
  • Taurus April 20 – May 20 You might currently be motivated to stand your ground against a domineering authority figure.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Their hope is to eventually make the model as accurate as an X-ray, which would drastically simplify screening efforts, though Raval says this will require much more data.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Her polling has been among the most accurate over time; a FiveThirtyEight analysis of historical polling data ranked it as 2.8 out of 3 stars.
    Elahe Izadi, arkansasonline.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Some media outlets are surrendering to Trump already This absurd boasting — arrogant without portfolio — is just what Trump is looking for in the VOA job.
    Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Angle was able to alter between arrogant heel and lovable goofball almost on a whim.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Workers United, which has a bargaining delegation that represents workers at 525 Starbucks stores in the United States, said the coffee giant has yet to bring a comprehensive economic package to the table, while hundreds of legal disputes over unfair labor practices remain unsettled.
    Juveria Tabassum, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Advocates are pushing for either the complete overturning of the settlement or a requirement for more comprehensive remediation projects.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near authoritative

Cite this Entry

“Authoritative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/authoritative. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on authoritative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!