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

There are turkey-Caesar wraps and burrata-avocado toast, homemade chocolate-chip cookies and baklava, and one strange thing that everyone seems to order – a Korean Cream Cheese Bun that went viral after a food influencer blew it up online. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026

TikTok influencers say adding a pinch of salt to drinking water is an affordable way to boost hydration and replenish electrolytes. —Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2026

Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif declined to perform cosmetic procedures on Parke twice and warned the influencer away from further plastic surgeries. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Feb. 2026

Lowe’s has also made its own moves to reach customers who are delaying home purchases, such as launching a third-party marketplace to expand its mix of merchandise, tapping influencers to raise its visibility on social media and reaching out to young families by relaunching its kids’ program. —Melissa Repko, CNBC, 25 Feb. 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