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
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This is not merely a contest over spheres of influence or lines on a map.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Dec. 2025
These should favor an open and secure global commons, economic arrangements that foster opportunity at home and abroad, and sovereignty—which coercive spheres of influence (masquerading as a multipolar world) profoundly threaten but which alliances enhance for all.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Russia can have their sphere of influence, including Ukraine.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2025
The Indian military routinely conducts missile test launches, including nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, over the Indian Ocean—a region considered to be New Delhi's sphere of influence—to verify their capabilities.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
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Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 16 Dec. 2025
These should favor an open and secure global commons, economic arrangements that foster opportunity at home and abroad, and sovereignty—which coercive spheres of influence (masquerading as a multipolar world) profoundly threaten but which alliances enhance for all.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Russia can have their sphere of influence, including Ukraine.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 9 Dec. 2025
The Indian military routinely conducts missile test launches, including nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, over the Indian Ocean—a region considered to be New Delhi's sphere of influence—to verify their capabilities.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sphere of influence
Cite this Entry
“Sphere of influence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphere%20of%20influence. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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