the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.

a power or right delegated or given; authorization

Who has the authority to grant permission?

a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested, as a governmental agency.

Usually, authorities. persons having the legal power to make and enforce the law; government

They finally persuaded the authorities that they were not involved in espionage.

an accepted source of information, advice, etc.

a quotation or citation from such a source.

an expert on a subject

He is an authority on baseball.

persuasive force; conviction

She spoke with authority.

a statute, court rule, or judicial decision that establishes a rule or principle of law; a ruling.

right to respect or acceptance of one's word, command, thought, etc.; commanding influence

the authority of a parent; the authority of a great writer.

mastery in execution or performance, as of a work of art or literature or a piece of music.

a warrant for action; justification.

testimony; witness.

noun

ascendancy , authorization , beef * , charge , clout * , command , credit , domination , dominion , edge , esteem , force , goods * , government , guts * , influence , juice * , jump , jurisdiction , leg up , license , mastery , might , might and main , permission , permit , pizzazz * , pow , powerhouse , prerogative , prestige , punch , right , ropes , rule , say , say-so , steam , strength , strong arm , stuff * , supremacy , sway , upper hand * , warrant , weight , what it takes , whip hand , word , zap * , arbiter , aristocrat , bible , big cheese * , big shot * , big wig , boss , brains , brass * , buff * , ceo , city hall * , connoisseur , czar , egghead * , establishment * , exec , executive , expert , feds , front office * , governor , guru , ivory dome , judge , kingfish , kingpin , law * , power elite , pro , professional , professor , pundit , scholar , specialist , textbook * , top brass , top dog , top hand , upstairs , veteran , virtuoso , whiz , wizard , control , power , sovereignty , official , mandate , ace , adept , dab hand , master , past master , proficient , absolutism , apostolicity , ascendency , autarchy , autocracy , bailiwick , carte blanche , competence , credibility , despot , despotism , devolution , dictum , dogma , domain , fiat , fiefdom , hegemony , importance , ipse dixit , justification , martinet , orthodoxy , parish , paternalism , potence , precedent , realm , regent , reliability , sanction , sayso , say so , scepter , source , totalitarianism , trustworthiness. associated word: purview , tyrant , ukase , warranty