“Authority” is a noun with several meanings, including the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience, as well as a person or organization having such power. Here are some synonyms and their analyses:
1. Power
- Meaning: The ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way. It can also refer to the control or influence over others. For example, “The government has the power to levy taxes.”
- Usage difference: “Power” is a more general term than “authority.” It emphasizes the capacity to act or exert force. While “authority” implies a legitimate right to exercise power, “power” can be held or used in different ways, including through coercion or brute force. For example, a dictator may have a lot of power but may not have the legitimate authority recognized by the people. Authority usually comes with a sense of rightfulness and is often associated with institutions or positions.
2. Jurisdiction
- Meaning: The official power to make legal decisions and judgments. For example, “The court has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in this district.”
- Usage difference: “Jurisdiction” is more specific to the legal realm. In comparison to “authority,” it focuses on the scope of legal power and the area in which legal decisions can be made. Authority can cover a broader range of powers, including administrative, managerial, or social powers. For example, a police officer has the authority to enforce laws generally, but a particular court has the jurisdiction to hear and decide specific types of legal cases.
3. Dominion
- Meaning: Supreme authority or control over a territory or people. For example, “In the past, kings had dominion over vast lands and their subjects.”
- Usage difference: “Dominion” emphasizes a more extensive and often territorial control. In comparison to “authority,” it has a connotation of a broader and more absolute rule. Authority can be shared or divided, but “dominion” implies a more overarching and sometimes even imperial kind of control. For example, a colonial power might have had dominion over a colony, exercising a wide - ranging and often unchallenged authority over all aspects of life there.
4. Command
- Meaning: The authority to give orders and have them obeyed. For example, “The general had the command of the entire army.”
- Usage difference: “Command” focuses on the act of giving orders and having the power to enforce them. In comparison to “authority,” it is more about the exercise of authority in a directive sense. Authority can exist without actively giving commands, such as the authority of a learned scholar in a particular field. “Command” implies a more immediate and operational use of power to direct the actions of others.