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-influencer posted a video unboxing the items, many of which were inspired by Wicked and Glinda, Grande's character in the film. —Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 13 Dec. 2025

The white-supremacist influencer is laying the groundwork to go even bigger. —Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2025

This year, as part of a larger partnership between Ronald McDonald House Global and CVS Health, the Philadelphia house hired local home decorator and influencer Meghan Gallagher. —Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025

Colbert, who's entering his final six months as host, asked for guidance on what comes next, prompting Swift to predict a podcast, an influencer era. —Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Dec. 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