authoritative
adjective
au·thor·i·ta·tive
ə-ˈthȯr-ə-ˌtā-tiv 
ȯ-,
-ˈthär-
1
: having, marked by, or proceeding from authority
authoritative church doctrines
an authoritative decision
an authoritative manner
2
: possessing recognized or evident authority : clearly accurate or knowledgeable
an authoritative critique
an authoritative source of information
authoritatively
adverb
authoritativeness
noun
Examples of authoritative in a Sentence
The book is an authoritative guide to the city's restaurants.
His manner is polite but authoritative.
She addressed the group with an authoritative voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hutchings, who has been an authoritative bandleader in the past, is more a savvy studio auteur here, alongside co-producer Dilip Harris.
—
Evan Haga, SPIN, 11 Apr. 2024
The authoritative and lyrical performer sang her way through the crowd, bringing dinner attendees to their feet to dance along.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2024
Those challenges may not pose a threat to Xi, who is China’s most powerful and authoritative leader in decades.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
This data, derived from monitoring authoritative B2B websites, generates hundreds of millions of interest signals annually, guiding campaigns toward prospects actively seeking what clients offer.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
In the end, Morawska was instrumental in convincing the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other authoritative bodies to recognize that the coronavirus could be transmitted via air – or more specifically, via the exhalation and inhalation of virus-laden aerosols.
—Laurie Winkless, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Gentle parenting is a subtype of authoritative parenting, which is accepted as the healthiest of the three core parenting styles.
—Tyler Santora, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
Active voice makes your writing more direct and lively, giving your words an authoritative ring.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The movie celebrates the beloved author (and author of Beloved) who became one of the most authoritative voices on race, privilege, and raw emotion in American history.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2024
Evan Haga, SPIN, 11 Apr. 2024
The authoritative and lyrical performer sang her way through the crowd, bringing dinner attendees to their feet to dance along.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2024
Those challenges may not pose a threat to Xi, who is China’s most powerful and authoritative leader in decades.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
This data, derived from monitoring authoritative B2B websites, generates hundreds of millions of interest signals annually, guiding campaigns toward prospects actively seeking what clients offer.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
In the end, Morawska was instrumental in convincing the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other authoritative bodies to recognize that the coronavirus could be transmitted via air – or more specifically, via the exhalation and inhalation of virus-laden aerosols.
—Laurie Winkless, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Gentle parenting is a subtype of authoritative parenting, which is accepted as the healthiest of the three core parenting styles.
—Tyler Santora, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
Active voice makes your writing more direct and lively, giving your words an authoritative ring.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The movie celebrates the beloved author (and author of Beloved) who became one of the most authoritative voices on race, privilege, and raw emotion in American history.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authoritative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near authoritative
Cite this Entry
“Authoritative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritative. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
authoritative
adjective
au·thor·i·ta·tive
ə-ˈthär-ə-ˌtāt-iv
ȯ-,
-ˈthȯr-
: having or coming from authority
authoritatively
adverb
authoritativeness
noun
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