authority
Right to decide
Authority is the power to determine or judge things, or the right to control or command: In our house, only our father had absolute authority.
A person or institution who has this power or right can also be called an authority: Authorities have issued a warning of very severe weather tonight.
Almost any government department or organization can be called an authority in a particular area.
If you are an authority about a subject, you know a lot about it and others may come to you for advice or information: The book has made her an international authority on mineral nutrition.
Authority to direct
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- dominionAuthority to rule
sovereignty · rule · jurisdiction · hegemony · clout · sway · leverage · influence
Methodical arrangement or request
- directiveFormal command or instruction
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- edictAuthoritative public command
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
proclamation · dictate · injunction · fiat · ruling · pronouncement · writ · summons
Voluntary agreement given
- approvalFavorable opinion given
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- permissionGranted right to act
- clearancePermitted passage or approval
endorsement · validation · ratification · license · mandate · warrant · empowerment · entitlement
Quality of being sound
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- rightfulnessMoral or legal validity
- justificationReason proving rightness
- legal standingAuthority to pursue litigation
Expert in one field
- mavenTrusted field authority
- guruRevered authority figure
- punditProfessional opinion-giver
- masterAuthority or controller
connoisseur · virtuoso · sage · scholar · savant · trusted source · subject matter expert · thought leader
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- stateCondition or mode
regime · council · parliament · judiciary · executive · municipality · regulatory body · ministry
Point of origin
- citationMention of a source
- textWritten or printed words
- treatiseFormal scholarly composition
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
standard · canon · handbook · encyclopedia · primary source · scholarly work
control
Authority to direct
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- supremacyHighest rank or power
dominion · sovereignty · rule · jurisdiction · hegemony · clout · sway · leverage · influence · might
order
Methodical arrangement or request
- directiveFormal command or instruction
- decreeAuthoritative legal command
- edictAuthoritative public command
mandate · proclamation · dictate · injunction · fiat · ruling · pronouncement · writ · summons · subpoena
consent
Voluntary agreement given
- approvalFavorable opinion given
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- permissionGranted right to act
clearance · endorsement · validation · ratification · license · mandate · warrant · empowerment · entitlement · accreditation
validity
Quality of being sound
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- rightfulnessMoral or legal validity
- justificationReason proving rightness
specialist
Expert in one field
master · connoisseur · virtuoso · sage · scholar · savant · trusted source · subject matter expert · thought leader · eminence
government
Authority over a state
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
state · regime · council · parliament · judiciary · executive · municipality · regulatory body · ministry · agency
source
Point of origin
documentation · standard · canon · handbook · encyclopedia · primary source · scholarly work
- powerelectric power, nuclear power, solar power, wind power, potency
- leadershipleadership styles, leader, leadership skills, boss, leading
- social conceptssociety, community, equality, justice, rights
- expertsexperts, expert, specialist, masters, specialists
- hierarchyrank, ranked, command, tiered, reporting
- human dynamicsteamwork, leadership, cooperation, communication, trust
authoritypowerlessness
Inability to affect outcomes
weakness · impotence · helplessness · subordination · ineffectiveness
authorityprohibition
Authoritative legal ban
interdiction · proscription · injunction · unauthorized · usurpation
- transit authorityAgency overseeing public transportation
- authority figurePerson wielding official power
- with authority
- voice of authority
- moral authorityInfluence from perceived righteousness
- housing authorityAgency overseeing public residences
authorize, authorized, authorities, unauthorized, authoritative, authorization, authorizing, authoritarian, authoring