influencer

noun

in·​flu·​enc·​er ˈin-ˌflü-ən(t)-sər 

especially Southern in-ˈflü-

plural influencers

: one who exerts influence : a person who inspires or guides the actions of others

The old theme of laziness and mellowness runs counter to today's influencers, who are businesspeople and upscale inspirational promoters of a go-getter way of life.

—John C. Dvorak

often, specifically : a person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a consumer product) by posting about it on social media

An influencer can write a holiday recipe, sponsored by a food brand, and that content and the associated brand awareness will still resonate with audiences in a year's time.

—Danielle Wiley

While Linh and other elite influencers are usually personally invited by hotel brands, an onslaught of lesser-known wannabes has left hotels scrambling to deal with a deluge of requests for all-expense-paid vacations in exchange for some social media posts.

—Taylor Lorenz

The woman who's been called the "future of fashion" has advice for aspiring Instagram influencers: Stop with the staged photos posing with croissants or balloons against a beautiful backdrop.

—Alix Langone

Examples of influencer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some 65 designers flocked to the Nigerian metropolis to showcase their collections to an audience of press, influencers, and other industry figures. — Ezreen Benissan, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

Following influencers like Clavicular may help illuminate what motivates an increasingly popular, exceedingly online idea of modern masculinity. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

Osment plays a recovering alcoholic and social media influencer, with Kotcheff as Francis, who has abandoned her Amish community for Osment’s character, and Leder as the agoraphobic and heavily pregnant wannabe-actress Lillie. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026

The model/influencer just shared a video dancing in the DJ booth wearing a red and black, corset-style get-up, music blasting. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

influencer

noun

in·​flu·​enc·​er

: one who exerts influence : a person who inspires or guides the actions of others