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

In embracing those tools, Pritzker, an establishment Democrat who didn’t exactly begin his career as an influencer has come to represent what’s basically an inevitable evolutionary battle for political survival. —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025

Of course, that type of defense doesn’t help to explain why high school athletes can’t sign NIL deals while high school influencers, esports players, actors and musicians can. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Oct. 2025

After backing away from the giant mammal, the influencer then moves closer again, jumping back once more when the elephant attempts to grab him with its trunk. —Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025

Among them, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Gabbriette, a host of beauty influencers, Kendall Jenner, and Hailey Bieber. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 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