influence

noun in·flu·ence \ ˈin-ˌflü-ən(t)s , especially Southern in-ˈflü- \

|Updated on: 21 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: influence in a Sentence

Editor's Note: The Surprising History of Influence and Its Modern Use

Definition of influence

plural influences

1 : the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways : sway

2 a : the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command

b : corrupt interference with authority for personal gain

3 : one that exerts influence

4 : an emanation of spiritual or moral force

5 a : an ethereal fluid held to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans

b : an emanation of occult power held to derive from stars

— under the influence

: affected by alcohol or drug intoxication

was arrested for driving under the influence

See influence defined for English-language learners

See influence defined for kids

Examples of influence in a Sentence

Recent years have seen a decline in the company's influence within the industry.
Her ideas have gradually gained influence in the company.
He used his influence to reform the company's policies.
She has remained under the influence of her parents.
She claims that her personal problems played no influence upon her decision to resign.
His health problems may have had some influence on his decision.
Her parents still have a great deal of influence over her.
The chairman wields considerable influence over the board's decisions.
Her parents are concerned that her new friends may have a bad influence on her.
Emily Dickinson has had a major influence on his poetry.

Recent Examples of influence from the Web

The silhouette recalled the styles favored by First Lady Jackie Kennedy in the early 1960s, indeed Trump has referenced Kennedy as a style influence in the past.

— edward barsamian, Vogue, "Melania Trump Wears Dior to Meet Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle," 13 July 2018
This largely hagiographical tribute to the conservative jurist who rivaled and in some respects exceeded Antonin Scalia in influence reads today like an application to consideration for a SCOTUS appointment by a Republican president.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "A 2017 Kavanaugh Speech Will Become a Flash Point in Confirmation Fight," 12 July 2018
Lately, questions have been swirling about Mattis' influence with Trump.

— missy ryan, greg jaffe, Anchorage Daily News, "At summit, Mattis faces uphill battle," 10 July 2018
Even Beltrán’s steadying influence might not be able to save it.

— ben reiter, SI.com, "Why Carlos Beltrán Was the Perfect Addition to Aid the Astros' Journey to the World Series," 9 July 2018
Kavanaugh’s influence will take years to measure and depends on which cases come before him.

— brian bennett, Time, "How Brett Kavanaugh Could Change the Supreme Court—and America," 12 July 2018
That probe is still ongoing, but the watchdog released a progress report on Wednesday, plus a separate report containing recommendations about the issue of personal information and political influence.

— david meyer, Fortune, "Facebook Is Getting Its First Big Fine Over the Cambridge Analytica Scandal," 11 July 2018
Bryant never changed her stance on gay rights, but her political influence and career both dissolved in the subsequent years.

— sascha cohen, Smithsonian, "How Gay Activists Challenged the Politics of Civility," 10 July 2018
But Markle’s influence has stirred up mixed feelings in businesses like Birks.

— refinery29.com, "Meghan Markle’s Favorite Jewelry Brand Gets Real About How She Affects Business," 8 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'influence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Surprising History of Influence and Its Modern Use

Influence may seem like a ho-hum word, but its history is heavenly.

The word first referred to a celestial fluid that was believed to flow from the stars. As this fluid reached the Earth, it supposedly affected the actions of the planet's inhabitants—especially the human ones. (The word influenza has the same origin: the Medieval Latin word influentia. It was for a time believed that epidemics were caused by unusual conjunctions of the planets.)

In modern use, the noun typically refers to the power to change or affect someone or something—especially the power to cause changes without directly forcing those changes to happen. Influence can also refer to a person or thing that affects someone or something in an important way.

The noun had been in use for more than 200 years before the verb use developed. As a verb, influence typically means "to affect or change someone or something in an indirect but usually important way." Something or someone that influences a person or thing, then, has an influence on that person or thing.

Origin and Etymology of influence

Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin influentia, from Latin influent-, influens, present participle of influere to flow in, from in- + fluere to flow — more at fluid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 5a

See Words from the same year

influence Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of influence

influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others. influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

- used her influence to get the bill passed

authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

- his opinions lacked authority

prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

- the prestige of the newspaper

weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

- their wishes obviously carried much weight

credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

- his credit with the press

influence

verb

Definition of influence

influenced; influencing

transitive verb

1 : to affect or alter by indirect or intangible means

She attempted to influence his decision.

greatly influenced by my parents

2 : to have an effect on the condition or development of

Productivity was influenced by worker satisfaction.

—

influenceable

play \ˈin-ˌflü-ən(t)-sə-bəl\ adjective

- In the situation where performance measures are not seen as influenceable, there is little chance of the person seeing a connection between his effort and his rewards.
- —Lyman W. Porter et al.

—

influencer

noun, plural influencers

- 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

See influence defined for English-language learners

Examples of influence in a Sentence

I was deeply influenced by my parents.
She claims that her decision to resign was not influenced by her personal problems.
No one knows how this decision will influence the outcome of the election.
He's accused of illegally attempting to influence the jury.

Recent Examples of influence from the Web

But that doesn’t mean college football can’t influence the way NFL teams call plays.

— andy staples, SI.com, "Like It or Not, College Football Is Influencing the NFL," 12 July 2018
Nora, heading into her sophomore year at Park Hill High School, said the time could influence her career choice.

— cortlynn stark, kansascity, "Instead of watching Netflix, KC kids dust for fingerprints at police academy," 9 July 2018
The new restaurant, Tribute, will serve a menu influenced by Texas, Louisiana and Mexico, according to executive chef Neal Cox who has led The Houstonian's culinary program for eight years.

— greg morago, Houston Chronicle, "The Houstonian to get new restaurant, Tribute, and new bar in major makeover," 5 July 2018
A few years ago, a couple economists from Harvard University and Stockholm University studied the Tea Party protests and found that protests do influence politics because of the big crowds or media coverage but not immediately.

— david hansen, latimes.com, "Protests make people active, and active people vote (and lunch in Laguna)," 3 July 2018
There’s a campaign to influence them against the law, called #SaveYourInternet.

— david meyer, Fortune, "Google Is Being Criticized Over Its Copyright Stance In Europe. But the Company Is Right," 26 June 2018
Things move too fast, was the verdict -- and can’t be influenced from Brussels anyway.

— ian wishart, Bloomberg.com, "EU Worries Worst Is Yet to Come in U.K.’s Brexit ‘Soap Opera’," 21 June 2018
This change in Brandeis’s thinking was largely influenced by the writings of the Michigan Supreme Court chief judge Thomas M. Cooley, who was probably the first jurist to assert that electronic communications were protected by the Constitution.

— joseph o’neill, The New Yorker, "The Mail," 21 June 2018
With its five different overall health reports that adhere to FDA regulations, the test can map out how your genetics may influence risks for certain diseases, such as Parkinson's or Celiac.

— banu ibrahim, CNN Underscored, "Sale alert! 23andMe's comprehensive DNA kit is now 30% off," 14 June 2018

First Known Use of influence

1658

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

influence Synonyms

Synonyms

affect, impact, impress, move, reach, strike, sway, tell (on), touch;

Near Antonyms

bore, jade, pall, tire, weary;

underwhelm;

bias, color;

inspire, stir;

engage, interest, involve, penetrate, pierce;

afflict, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, fluster, harass, harry, perturb, pester, plague, smite, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, wring;

allure, attract, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate;

Phrases

get to;

Synonym Discussion of influence

affect, influence, touch, impress, strike, sway mean to produce or have an effect upon. affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

- the sight affected her to tears

influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

- our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

- plants touched by frost
- his emotions were touched by her distress

impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

- only one of the plans impressed him

strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

- struck by the solemnity of the occasion

sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

- politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

INFLUENCE Defined for English Language Learners

influence

noun

Definition of influence for English Language Learners

: the power to change or affect someone or something : the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen
: a person or thing that affects someone or something in an important way

influence

verb

Definition of influence for English Language Learners

: to affect or change (someone or something) in an indirect but usually important way : to have an influence on (someone or something)

INFLUENCE Defined for Kids

influence

noun in·flu·ence \ ˈin-ˌflü-əns \

Definition of influence for Students

1 : the act or power of causing an effect or change without use of direct force or authority

You could move to some other part of Mexico, but … Luis's influence is far-reaching.
—Pam Muñoz Ryan,

2 : a person or thing that has an indirect but usually important effect

She's a bad influence on him.

influence

verb

Definition of influence for Students

influenced; influencing

: to affect or change in an indirect but usually important way I was influenced by my parents.

Law Dictionary

influence

noun in·flu·ence

legal Definition of influence

1 a : the act or power of producing an effect without any apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command

b : corrupt interference with authority for personal gain

2 : the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways

3 : one that exerts influence

—

influencer

noun

— under the influence

: affected by alcohol or another intoxicant

was arrested for driving under the influence

influence

transitive verb

legal Definition of influence

influenced; influencing

1 : to alter or affect by indirect or intangible means

the exemption would allow a conglomerate that owns both a media business and an unrelated business to influence or control the media
—Citizens United v. Federal Election Commʼn, 130 S. Ct. 876 (2010)

2 : to have an effect on the condition or development of