The discrepancy between the stories of the two parties involved in the accident was so great that the authorities had a hard time deciding which side was telling the truth.
Source: tatoeba (1918)
Authorities
Synonyms for "authorities" (65 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (13)
Adjective(1 words)
danish regering
Verb(1 words)
enforce civil order guidelines
Strong matches (20)
Noun(10 words)
governing bodiesgovernmentgovernment bodiesgovernment related terminstitutionsleadersmavinsnorwegian nasjonalofficialspeople in power
Adjective(2 words)
italian governmentnorwegian government
Related words (32)
Noun(9 words)
prelacyruling classruling classesthe administrationthe authoritiesthe crownthe establishmentthe governmentthe ingroupthe intereststhe people upstairsthe power elitethe power structurethe topthemtheytop brassuncle samwashingtonwhitehall
Adjective(3 words)
romanian guvernruling authoritieswritten-law sources
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: agencies, authority, bureaucracy, complaint, current leadership.
- Sentence evidence is available for authorities, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "authorities".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "authorities"
Keep "authorities" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "authorities" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "authorities", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "authorities" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesMore specific
8 entriesacademicseducation authorityfederal agencyhealth departmentmunicipal authoritypoliceresearchersscholars
Collocations
6 entriesacademic authoritiesauthorities on climate sciencegovernment authoritieshealth authoritieslocal authoritiespolice authorities
Derivations
3 entriesTranslations
10 translations across 10 languages.
Danish
1 entries- myndighed noun (all senses)
Finnish
1 entries- viranomaiset noun (all senses)
French
1 entries- autorités noun (all senses)
German
1 entries- Behörden noun (all senses)
Indonesian
1 entries- pihak berwenang noun (all senses)
Italian
1 entries- autorità noun (all senses)
Malay
1 entries- pihak berkuasa noun (all senses)
Polish
1 entries- władza noun (all senses)
Turkish
1 entries- yetkililer noun (all senses)
Vietnamese
1 entries- giới chức noun (all senses)
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
The convicted drug dealer was willing to comply with the authorities to have his death sentence reduced to a life sentence.
Source: tatoeba (1934)
I have read a good many books to discover what the authorities had to say that made the matter a little plainer.
Source: tatoeba (43631)
Getting rid of garbage has become a major headache for the authorities.
Source: tatoeba (56404)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "authorities"?
Closest matches include agencies, authority, bureaucracy, complaint, current leadership.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "authorities"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.