1
as in sways
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly
a mayor who doesn't hesitate to use her influence to get business leaders behind civic improvements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in effects
the power to bring about a result on another
the basic premise of astrology is that the position of the stars has an influence on human affairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in affects
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
the news reports of the devastating flood influenced a great many people to make contributions for food and supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of influences
Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 6 June 2026
The greatest influences of my life lived and created here.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 6 June 2026
The influences around [the ‘80s] were very pop-driven.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 6 June 2026
It could be argued that the ideal audience for a song consists of people who can appreciate its pedigree—all of the influences that combined to inspire that specific work.
—Juliet Izon, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Their music is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at Warped Tour this year, where some of the foundational early-’00s influences will be welcomed with a new generation’s touch.
—Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 4 June 2026
Early-life exposures, including body weight at age 10 and maternal smoking, also showed measurable effects on aging outcomes decades later, which underscores just how long these influences stretch.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Adelman died at 79, but not before leaving his mark on the NBA and becoming one of Spoelstra’s biggest basketball influences.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026
Former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman, who died Monday at 79, is being remembered by his former players as one of the top influences on their careers and lives.
—Ruyuan Li, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Amelia Lucas,melissa Repko, CNBC, 7 June 2026
The brain influences the body’s response to nerves as much as that of the mind.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 3 June 2026
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama are opening up about their support systems and what influences their success ahead of the biggest games of their lives.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
Employees want transparency regarding how AI influences workplace decisions.
—Britney Porter, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Bloodwork found that Fasone was experiencing elevated levels of prolactin, the hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates lactation and influences fertility.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 June 2026
The venue influences almost every floral decision, including scale, logistics, and cost.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 1 June 2026
And that directly influences where water is available and how much is there.
—David Boutt, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Taxpayers deserve far greater transparency about how the office influences higher education, economic development, land management and state policy.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 May 2026
Noun
Alonetogether, an upscale restaurant from Houston chef Jonny Rhodes, has opened in Midtown with a menu rooted in Haitian-French-Creole cooking with Thai influences.
—Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 6 June 2026
The greatest influences of my life lived and created here.
—Gene Park, Washington Post, 6 June 2026
The influences around [the ‘80s] were very pop-driven.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 6 June 2026
It could be argued that the ideal audience for a song consists of people who can appreciate its pedigree—all of the influences that combined to inspire that specific work.
—Juliet Izon, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Their music is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at Warped Tour this year, where some of the foundational early-’00s influences will be welcomed with a new generation’s touch.
—Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 4 June 2026
Early-life exposures, including body weight at age 10 and maternal smoking, also showed measurable effects on aging outcomes decades later, which underscores just how long these influences stretch.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026
Adelman died at 79, but not before leaving his mark on the NBA and becoming one of Spoelstra’s biggest basketball influences.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026
Former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman, who died Monday at 79, is being remembered by his former players as one of the top influences on their careers and lives.
—Ruyuan Li, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
That perspective influences those companies' innovation strategies, according to Katz-Mayfield.
—Amelia Lucas,melissa Repko, CNBC, 7 June 2026
The brain influences the body’s response to nerves as much as that of the mind.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 3 June 2026
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama are opening up about their support systems and what influences their success ahead of the biggest games of their lives.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
Employees want transparency regarding how AI influences workplace decisions.
—Britney Porter, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Bloodwork found that Fasone was experiencing elevated levels of prolactin, the hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates lactation and influences fertility.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 June 2026
The venue influences almost every floral decision, including scale, logistics, and cost.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 1 June 2026
And that directly influences where water is available and how much is there.
—David Boutt, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
Taxpayers deserve far greater transparency about how the office influences higher education, economic development, land management and state policy.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influences
Noun
-
Another loophole Trump leverages to achieve his all-encompassing power grab is the National Emergencies Act.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
9 June 2026
-
According to Easter, each of the 33 cocktails on the menu leverages a bottle with a story behind it, and the staff is prepared to regale you with their histories.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The measure, placed on the ballot by the county Board of Supervisors, asks voters to support the sales tax increase to help stave off the effects of federal Medi-Cal cuts affecting county healthcare facilities.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
Researchers also observed an initial increase in disciplinary incidents and a temporary decline in student well-being as schools adjusted to the new rules, though those effects eased over time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects about 1 million Amerians.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
7 June 2026
-
The change affects two state Senate districts in the Montgomery area.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Alvarez’s arrest comes as federal authorities have dramatically expanded enforcement operations in the MacArthur Park area, carrying out gang sweeps, immigration operations and narcotics investigations that have frequently put Essayli at odds with city officials and advocacy groups.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
One member escaped and alerted authorities, prompting a rescue operation on May 23.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
In June 2025, the union representing state engineers sued the Newsom administration alleging that the order violated state labor law by failing to confer with the union over its impacts.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
The city of Durham enacted a 60-day moratorium in May after residents also cited concerns about environmental impacts.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Birr Castle Demesne Situated in central Ireland, almost exactly between Galway and Dublin, Birr Castle Demesne impresses with 120 picturesque acres of gardens.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
-
This impresses easily, and will become part of your regular breakfast rotation.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
One simple explanation for Wyoming wolves having heavier weights, as wildlife managers point out in their report, is that most states just aren’t tracking wolf size as closely.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
-
Hold the weights in place with your hands.—
Jenessa Connor,
Health,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The storyline parallels government cover-up narratives from the past (Pentagon Papers/Watergate) and today (Epstein Files), and touches on our current dehumanizing immigration policies.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
-
The research touches on the term benchmaxing, which is the practice of inflating AI benchmark scores not through better models, but through better server configurations.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Influences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influences. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
