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 influencer, 26, graduated from nursing school in August 2024, and soon after, the high school sweethearts bought a house in Michigan, ending the long-distance aspect of their relationship, Adams tells PEOPLE exclusively. —Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

Locals have installed their own turnstiles across the Dolomites region as influencers continue to flock to the mountain range in northeastern Italy. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025

Tricia Mpisi, a South African influencer who attended an early screening of Wicked in 2024, detailed how Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande rescued her from an unfortunate incident in which a glass of champagne spilled all over her. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025

During the 2024 election, Amazon’s Prime Video tapped Brian Williams to moderate a conversation-heavy Election Night hangout with a large crowd of journalists, influencers and hangers-on. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 31 Oct. 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