sweeping authority

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sweeping authority" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a broad or comprehensive level of power or control over a particular area or subject. Example: "The new legislation grants the agency sweeping authority to regulate the industry without any significant oversight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"While they gave me new sweeping authority, I don't believe it includes either one of those schedule considerations".

The New York Times - Sports

It gives the United States and Britain sweeping authority to reconstitute Iraq's political system and control its economy.

The New York Times

But others grant it sweeping authority and independence or a writ to intercede in civilian politics similar to the Turkish model.

The New York Times

It established an agency the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—with sweeping authority to prevent business practices that would lead to monopoly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In lifting the pass laws, it would also give the Minister of Law and Order sweeping authority to designate "unrest areas" in which he can exercise emergency powers.

The New York Times

President Bush made his most aggressive push yet for swift action by asking Congress for sweeping authority to disarm Iraq and dislodge Saddam Hussein.

The New York Times

That seemed to anger the National People's Congress, China's Parliament, which claims sweeping authority to interpret the statutes that Hong Kong courts use in deciding cases.

The New York Times

A new Bush administration proposal to give the federal government sweeping authority over imports won plaudits yesterday as a step toward restoring public confidence in product safety.

The New York Times

The better argument, as respected constitutional scholars argue, is that Article I's "District Clause" gives Congress sweeping authority over the District of Columbia.

The New York Times

President Obama's appointee to supervise the division, Thomas E. Perez, went further in a 2009 policy giving career professionals sweeping authority to choose whom to recommend to fill openings for experienced lawyers, a much larger group.

The New York Times

Some of Michigan's most financially distressed cities were engulfed in uncertainty on Wednesday after voters struck down a law that gave state-appointed officials sweeping authority to make decisions for those communities.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing legal or governmental powers, consider using "sweeping authority" to emphasize the breadth and comprehensiveness of the power granted.

Common error

Avoid using "sweeping authority" when the power in question is actually limited or specific. Ensure the context genuinely reflects a broad, unrestricted level of control.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sweeping authority" functions as a noun phrase, where "sweeping" modifies "authority". It is generally used to describe the extent and scope of power granted to an individual, group, or organization, as shown by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Encyclopedias

9%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

2%

Academia

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sweeping authority" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe a broad and comprehensive level of power or control. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, to emphasize the extent of power granted to an entity. When using this phrase, ensure the context genuinely reflects the breadth of the authority being described, and consider alternatives like "extensive mandate" or "comprehensive power" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Comprehensive power

Uses "power" as a direct synonym for "authority", highlighting the completeness of the control.

Broad jurisdiction

Replaces "authority" with "jurisdiction", focusing on the legal scope of power.

Wide-ranging powers

Uses "wide-ranging" to describe the extent, and uses the plural noun "powers" in order to emphasize the set of privileges.

Extensive mandate

Substitutes "sweeping" with "extensive" and "authority" with "mandate", emphasizing the scope of permission or instruction.

Full authorization

Focuses on the completeness of the permission or approval using "full" instead of "sweeping" and "authorization" instead of "authority".

Unlimited prerogative

Replaces "authority" with "prerogative", indicating an exclusive right or privilege, and "sweeping" with "unlimited" emphasizing the absence of restrictions.

Absolute command

Emphasizes the unrestricted nature of the control with "absolute" replacing "sweeping" and "command" replacing "authority".

Blanket empowerment

Uses "blanket" to convey the comprehensiveness, and replaces "authority" with "empowerment", focusing on the act of enabling.

Total supremacy

Highlights ultimate control using "total" for "sweeping" and "supremacy" for "authority", suggesting a position of dominance.

Unfettered discretion

Emphasizes freedom from constraint with "unfettered" and replaces "authority" with "discretion", focusing on the freedom to decide.

FAQs

How to use "sweeping authority" in a sentence?

You can use "sweeping authority" to describe someone or something that has broad powers. For instance, "The new law gives the president "sweeping authority" to regulate trade".

What can I say instead of "sweeping authority"?

You can use alternatives like "broad jurisdiction", "comprehensive power", or "extensive mandate" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "sweeping authority" or "sweeping authorities"?

"Sweeping authority" refers to a general, unrestricted power. "Sweeping authorities" is grammatically incorrect in most contexts, unless referring to multiple distinct entities each possessing sweeping authority.

What's the difference between "sweeping authority" and "considerable influence"?

"Sweeping authority" implies a formal, legal power to make decisions and enforce them. "Considerable influence", on the other hand, suggests the ability to affect decisions and actions without direct power. While the former is enforced and clearly defined, the latter is based on the ability to persuade and affect.