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

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

Early Saturday morning, on May 17, social media erupted with videos and posts showing Brown allegedly being jumped by multiple people trying to steal his jewelry outside the event held by influencer Adin Ross at a warehouse. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025

Travel influencer Maria Eftimova died on Feb. 22 after falling around 65 feet while climbing a mountain in Wales. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 12 June 2025

Welcome to the era of the buying network — a complex web of external influencers, customers, partners, providers (that’s us!), and even buyer AI such as ChatGPT, all of which are engaging with our buyers in the buying process. —Forrester, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

Kansas City is a melting pot of styles, giving the city an inclusive, casual and free-spirited fashion style, according to local fashion influencers. —Zuri Primos, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2025

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