authorities
People in charge
Authorities are people or institutions with official power to make decisions, enforce rules, or control others.
Police, government agencies, and regulatory bodies are the authorities: He was questioned by authorities.
The word often implies legitimate power that demands compliance.
An authority on a subject is an expert whose knowledge commands respect: She's an authority on medieval history.
In the singular, authority is the power itself: Who has authority here?
Authority over a state
- regimeSystem of governance
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- officialsThose holding formal power
- ministersReligious leaders or officials
cabinet · senate · parliament · politicians · governors · leadership · bureaucracy · democracy
Civil law enforcement
- law-enforcementMaintaining legal order
- regulatorsEntities enforcing compliance
- inspectorsThose who examine officially
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
immigration · compliance · oversight · monitoring · sanctions · permits · licensing · inspections
Trial venue or sports surface
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- legalPermitted by statute
- judicialOf courts and judges
territorial · boundaries · mandate · statute · ordinance · jurisprudence · ruling · decree
Authority to direct
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- hegemonyDominant group's control
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
influence · coercion · oppression · subjugation · tyranny · despotism · totalitarianism · imperialism
Higher education institution
- hospitalMedical treatment facility
- schoolPlace of instruction
- prisonConfinement for offenders
- courthouseLegal proceedings venue
embassy · church · military · corporate · medical · academic · religious · legal
Highly skilled practitioner
- specialistExpert in one field
- scholarLearned, studious person
- leadingGuiding or pacing type
- recognizedPerceived as familiar
trusted · definitive · credentialed · published · cited · renowned · preeminent · foremost
government
Authority over a state
- regimeSystem of governance
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- officialsThose holding formal power
ministers · cabinet · senate · parliament · politicians · governors · leadership · bureaucracy · democracy · dictatorship
police
Civil law enforcement
- law-enforcementMaintaining legal order
- regulatorsEntities enforcing compliance
- inspectorsThose who examine officially
customs · immigration · compliance · oversight · monitoring · sanctions · permits · licensing · inspections · citations
court
Trial venue or sports surface
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- legalPermitted by statute
judicial · territorial · boundaries · mandate · statute · ordinance · jurisprudence · ruling · decree · tribunal
control
Authority to direct
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- hegemonyDominant group's control
command · influence · coercion · oppression · subjugation · tyranny · despotism · totalitarianism · imperialism · colonialism
university
Higher education institution
courthouse · embassy · church · military · corporate · medical · academic · religious · legal · judicial
expert
Highly skilled practitioner
- specialistExpert in one field
- scholarLearned, studious person
- leadingGuiding or pacing type
recognized · trusted · definitive · credentialed · published · cited · renowned · preeminent · foremost · respected
- decision-makersCEO, CFO, COO, executive, boss
- expertsexperts, expert, specialist, masters, specialists
- intelligentsiaintellectuals, professors, intelligentsia, academics, philosophers
- peoplepeople, persons, person, individuals, humans
- powerelectric power, nuclear power, solar power, wind power, potency
- bureaucracybureaucracy, bureaucrat, bureaucrats, red tape, civil service
authoritiessubjects
Areas of study
citizens · the people · civilians · subordinates · populace
authoritiesamateurs
Nonprofessional participants
novices · laypeople · beginners · dilettantes · neophytes
authoritiesrebels
Armed opposition fighters
anarchists · insurgents · outlaws · revolutionaries · dissidents
- regulatory authoritiesAgencies enforcing compliance rules
- local authoritiesNearby governmental bodies
- health authoritiesBodies governing public wellness
- port authoritiesAgencies managing maritime infrastructure
- tax authoritiesGovernment revenue collectors
- customs authoritiesAgency enforcing import laws
author, authority, authorize, authorized, authors, unauthorized, authored, autocratic, authoritative