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sphere of influence

noun phrase

: a territorial area within which the political influence or the interests of one nation are held to be more or less paramount

Examples of sphere of influence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Massive oil reserves Trump is also reportedly taken with the 19th-century idea of dividing the world into spheres of influence dominated by major powers; ousting Maduro could be a way to exert command in the Western Hemisphere. Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025 Nor are Monique and Wendy finally attempting to establish a relationship outside of Candiace’s sphere of influence after Monique was effectively removed from filming on Wendy’s rookie season. Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025 The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, for example, established colonial spheres of influence for the sake of preferential trade, with Britain’s region of control spanning the Malay Peninsula and Singapore, while the Dutch received control of the Riau-Lingga islands south of the Strait of Malacca. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Nov. 2025 Moscow has sought to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 17 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sphere of influence

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sphere of influence was in 1885

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Cite this Entry

“Sphere of influence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphere%20of%20influence. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

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