SKIP TO CONTENT

authorities

Definitions of authorities
  1. noun
    the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
    “the matter was referred to higher authorities
    synonyms: government, regime
    see moresee less
    types:
    authoritarian regime, authoritarian state
    a government that concentrates political power in an authority not responsible to the people
    bureaucracy
    a government that is administered primarily by bureaus that are staffed with nonelective officials
    ancien regime
    a political and social system that no longer governs (especially the system that existed in France before the French Revolution)
    court, royal court
    the sovereign and his advisers who are the governing power of a state
    Downing Street
    the British government
    empire
    a group of countries under a single authority
    federal government
    a government with strong central powers
    government-in-exile
    a temporary government moved to or formed in a foreign land by exiles who hope to rule when their country is liberated
    local government
    the government of a local area
    military government, stratocracy
    government by the military and an army
    palace
    the governing group of a kingdom
    papacy, pontificate
    the government of the Roman Catholic Church
    puppet government, puppet regime, puppet state
    a government that is appointed by and whose affairs are directed by an outside authority that may impose hardships on those governed
    state
    the group of people comprising the government of a sovereign state
    state government
    the government of a state in the United States
    totalitarian state, totalitation regime
    a government that subordinates the individual to the state and strictly controls all aspects of life by coercive measures
    Court of Saint James's
    the British royal court
    Porte, Sublime Porte
    the Ottoman court in Constantinople
    Soviets
    the government of the Soviet Union
    welfare state
    a government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.
    municipal government
    the government of a municipality
    town meeting
    government of a town by an assembly of the qualified voters
    U.S., U.S. government, US Government, United States, United States government
    the executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the United States
    type of:
    polity
    a politically organized unit
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘authorities'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family