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 kid actors began appearing in videos with Piper around 2017, and their videos skyrocketed the young influencer’s fame and success. —Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, social media influencers helped customers find options that previously may have been discovered on the shop floor, Barbara Kahn, a professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, told ABC News. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026

Tuesday afternoon, on the first day of men’s trade show Pitti Uomo, around 180 menswear aficionados, influencers and industry insiders paraded through the streets of Florence in their Sunday best. —Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026

The travel company will then use AI to produce a customized itinerary and travel tips that are based on the content that was originally created by an influencer. —John Kell, Fortune, 14 Jan. 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