1
: having, marked by, or proceeding from authority authoritative church doctrines an authoritative decision2
: possessing recognized or evident authority : clearly accurate or knowledgeable an authoritative critique an authoritative source of information Examples of authoritative in a SentenceThe 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 Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. Whereas serif fonts feel authoritative and timeless, sans serif fonts can feel modern or informal. —Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Ralphs’ tasteful, authoritative and often-underrated guitar work and songwriting acumen were a trademark of both bands across the 1970s. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 23 June 2025 She was dressed in a conservative suit and low heels and in her soothing but authoritative voice reminded me of a flight attendant delivering in-flight instructions. —Lisa Pratta june 12, Literary Hub, 12 June 2025 From its cute-fake soundstage-town setting to the authoritative yet chummy voice-over narration (courtesy of Nick Offerman), The Life of Chuck works doggedly to give you the warm fuzzies—and a little bit of that fuzz goes a long way. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for authoritative Word HistoryFirst Known Use
1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of authoritative was in 1606 Cite this Entry“Authoritative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authoritative. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Last Updated: 6 Jul 2025 - Updated example sentencesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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