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authority figure

American  

noun

  1. a person whose real or apparent authority over others inspires or demands obedience and emulation.

    Parents, teachers, and police officers are traditional authority figures for children.


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.

See Examples For:

There’s almost no authority figure or august body in our society in which most people have confidence.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 29, 2025

"We asked people: 'Should it be a woman? Should it be a man? Should it be a robot? Should it sound like a lawyer, a social worker, a journalist, or another authority figure?'"

From BBC Nov. 2, 2025

Despite no adult or authority figure believing in their mission, the goonies triumph.

From Salon Jun. 7, 2025

Francis cut his teeth as an authority figure in his native Argentina.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 21, 2025

The moment any authority figure challenged Cade's control over things, the game was on.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

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