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

The debate will be a subtext -- and likely flare publicly -- as thousands of activists, influencers and Republican lawmakers gather at the Conservative Political Action Conference that began Wednesday outside Dallas. —Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026

Kash Patel’s girlfriend, country singer and influencer Alexis Wilkins, had previously been accused of being a Mossad agent. —Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 25 Mar. 2026

Back in December 2025, Nacua apologized after making a gesture widely perceived to antisemitic during a livestream with influencer Adin Ross. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026

Alex Otaola, the flamboyant YouTube influencer who ran for the Miami-Dade mayoral seat in 2024 and co-organized the rally with the city, said the event was meant to send a unified message to Cubans both on and off the island. —Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 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