authoritative
Americanadjective
-
having due authority; having the sanction or weight of authority.
an authoritative opinion.
- Synonyms:
- official
-
substantiated or supported by documentary evidence and accepted by most authorities in a field.
an authoritative edition of Shakespeare; an authoritative treatment of a subject.
-
having an air of authority; accustomed to exercising authority; positive; peremptory; dictatorial.
said with an authoritative air.
- Synonyms:
- authoritarian, dogmatic
adjective
-
recognized or accepted as being true or reliable
an authoritative article on drugs
-
exercising or asserting authority; commanding
an authoritative manner
-
possessing or supported by authority; official
an authoritative communiqué
Other Word Forms
- authoritatively adverb
- authoritativeness noun
- nonauthoritative adjective
- nonauthoritatively adverb
- nonauthoritativeness noun
- unauthoritative adjective
- unauthoritatively adverb
- unauthoritativeness noun
Etymology
Origin of authoritative
First recorded in 1595–1605; authorit(y) + -ative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I got taken in the office with a policeman and Mr Phillips was being all authoritative," Karen explains.
From BBC
She didn’t have Mom’s authoritative voice anymore; she just sounded embarrassed.
From Literature
The new creations entered the repertory amid a number of authoritative performances of tried and true ballets—mostly by the troupe’s incomparable founding choreographer George Balanchine.
Djokovic was reading Alcaraz's serve well and once he got in the rallies was authoritative, with a sensational forehand winner earning him two set points.
From Barron's
Their work relied on desktop research and drew from peer reviewed articles, international organization reports, and other authoritative sources focused on microplastics, ocean health, climate change, and related social and environmental issues.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
