influential

1 of 2

adjective

in·​flu·​en·​tial ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen(t)-shəl How to pronounce influential (audio)
: exerting or possessing influence
influentially adverb

influential

2 of 2

noun

: one who has great influence

Examples of influential in a Sentence

Adjective His theories have become more influential in recent years. My parents have been the most influential people in my life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Men: The Animated Series] near the top of the most influential stories to me, personally, and to so many creative minds that have come through these doors. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024 In 2020, California passed Proposition 22, which was backed by more than $200 million from the most influential gig economy companies. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 With more than 600,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Attia has become one of the most influential voices in longevity medicine, and many doctors say patients learn about rapamycin from him. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Despite its future hanging in the balance, TikTok is undoubtedly among the most influential social media platforms with over 1 billion users globally. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 Mar. 2024 One of Johnson’s most influential instructors, Charles Webster Hawthorne, helped shape Johnson’s early painting style. Shantay Robinson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Israel would win recognition and normalization from Saudi Arabia, the most influential country in the Arab and Islamic world. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 Within this context, influential women in Hollywood are devising new strategies to disrupt traditional power dynamics behind and in front of the camera. Ellie Austin, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 In an interview, Mohammed Dahlan, an influential Palestinian exile and a close adviser to the Emirati president, suggested that Arab rulers had soured on Mr. Netanyahu. Vivian Nereim, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024
Noun
The pattern began in the Russian leader’s earliest days, when Boris A. Berezovsky, an oligarch influential in Mr. Putin’s rise, ran afoul of him and fled, treated for years as a public enemy before his death in Britain in 2013 under murky circumstances. Paul Sonne, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2023 As the president of Hillsdale College in Michigan, a small school influential in modern conservative thought, Arnn had grown accustomed to books and letters from Republican strivers. Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2022 But in the two months since the law went into effect, many of the biggest ticket marketplaces in the live industry aren’t following the new law, a state senator influential in its passing says. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2022 Turcer, whose organization is part of a speaker’s bureau in which people talk about the judiciary across the state to increase interest in the influential but often overlooked branch, doesn’t completely write off the Republican justices’ concerns. cleveland, 9 May 2022 Most of them were coached by Brewer, a former Negro Leagues star who became an influential — if often overlooked — part of baseball’s history. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2022 Opposing the legislation is the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA), which is another powerful organization influential in Montgomery. al, 22 Dec. 2021 For the influential and the politically connected, an empty Carbone’s is a sign of an era passing. Susan Dunne, courant.com, 9 Dec. 2021 The movie tracks the brothers' many ups and downs over the past 50-plus years as an influential (if underrated) act, as Wright brings their stories and sonic reinventions to life through animation. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 17 June 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'influential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of influential was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near influential

Cite this Entry

“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/influential. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

influential

adjective
in·​flu·​en·​tial
ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen-chəl
: having influence
influentially
-ˈench-(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on influential

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