authority figure

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

A scam could be just a click away, and it’s possible that while someone might look like an authority figure on infant sleep on Instagram, they don’t have any training at all.

From Salon

Local authority figures show that the average lifespan for both women and men in these areas was up to 10 years lower than other wards in Derby.

From BBC

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

From Salon

And how does a man like Joseph, an authority figure in the church but on a lower rung than Theophilus, conduct himself under those circumstances?

From Salon

The right doesn't do that—maybe because, ironically, they have less respect for authority figures.

From Salon