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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.

Power of attorney is designed to allow trusted people to manage money and personal needs if someone becomes incapable of dealing with these matters themselves.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2025

Power of attorney granted by a parent who is still competent isn’t foolproof either, says Lawrence Davidow, an elder-care lawyer in Islandia, N.Y.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2016

Power of attorney recognized and frequently used Closely allied with agency is the power of attorney.

From Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters by Johns, C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter)

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.