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Synonyms

power of attorney

American  

noun

Law.

  1. a written document given by one person or party to another authorizing the latter to act for the former.

power of attorney British  

noun

  1. legal authority to act for another person in certain specified matters

  2. the document conferring such authority

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of power of attorney

First recorded in 1740–50

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.

Only 11% of adults reported having a durable financial power of attorney, according to Trust & Will’s 2026 survey.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

But for the documents they should be most concerned about, healthcare proxies and financial power of attorney, the share stands at 17% and 8%, respectively.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Being a child or caretaker, or holding power of attorney, does not make it ethical or lawful to transfer property into one’s own name.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

If you give an adviser power of attorney to make trades and don’t like it, you should always be able to rescind that permission.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

I hoped Mom would be in charge of whatever the power of attorney thing was.

From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen

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.