Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
authority (noun)1.
a) (1) a citation (as from a book or file) used in defense or support
(2) the source from which the citation is drawn
b) (1) a conclusive statement or set of statements (as an official decision of a court)
(2) a decision taken as a precedent
(3) - testimony
c) an individual cited or appealed to as an expert
2.
a) power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior
b) freedom granted by one in authority - right
3.
a) persons in command , specifically - government
b) a governmental agency or corporation to administer a revenue-producing public enterprise - the transit authority
4.
a) - grounds warrant had excellent authority for believing the claim
b) convincing force - lent authority to the performance influence, power
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
authority (noun)1.
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
SYNONIMS:
ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, crackerjack ( crackajack), dab, dab hand, fiend, geek, guru, hand, hotshot, maestro, master, maven ( mavin), meister, past master, proficient, scholar, shark, sharp, virtuoso, whiz, wizardRELATED WORDS:
pro, professional; consultant, hired gun, specialist; addict, aficionado ( afficionado), buff, devotee, enthusiast, fan; craftsman, journeyman; all-rounder [], jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance man; mistressNEAR ANTONYMS:
apprentice, beginner, neophyte, novice; dabbler, dilettante; layman, nonprofessional2.
lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation)
SYNONIMS:
administration, authority, governance, government, jurisdiction, regime ( régime), regimenRELATED WORDS:
reign; dominion, power, sovereignty ( sovranty), supremacy, sway; command, leadership; direction, management, regulation, superintendence, supervision; autocracy, dictatorship, domination, hegemony, mastery, oppression, subjugation, tyranny3.
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
SYNONIMS:
authority, clout, credit, heft, in, juice, leverage, pull, sway, weightRELATED WORDS:
counterinfluence; command, dominance, dominion, mastery, predominance, reign, scepter, sovereignty ( sovranty), supremacy; consequence, eminence, importance, moment; impact, impress, impression, imprint, markNEAR ANTONYMS:
helplessness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness, weakness4.
the right or means to command or control others
SYNONIMS:
arm, authority, clutch, command, control, death grip, dominion, grip, hold, mastery, reign, rein(s), swayRELATED WORDS:
clout, influence, leverage, pull, voice, weight; jurisdiction; direction, management; dominance, imperium, predominance, sovereignty ( sovranty), supremacy; prerogative, privilege, right; eminence, importance, momentNEAR ANTONYMS:
helplessness, weakness5.
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
SYNONIMS:
account, authority, grounds, motive, subject, wherefore, whyRELATED WORDS:
antecedent, cause, consideration, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, occasion, stimulus6.
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information
SYNONIMS:
authority, sourceRELATED WORDS:
citation, excerpt, extract, quotation; caption, cross-reference, footnote, note7.
the capacity to persuade
SYNONIMS:
authority, conclusiveness, convincingness, effectiveness, force, forcefulness, persuasion, persuasiveness, suasivenessRELATED WORDS:
impact, might, power, punch, strength, weight; believability, credibility, soundness, validity; authoritativeness, definitiveness; influence, sway; appeal, seductivenessNEAR ANTONYMS:
invalidity, shakiness, unsoundness; feebleness, powerlessness, weakness