1
as in sway
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 effect
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 to affect
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 influence
Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
There are also occasional flashes of Sharon Van Etten’s early 2010s albums, and producer Adam Schatz (of Landlady, who has also worked with Japanese Breakfast and Neko Case) has created a perfect setting for the songs that evokes the ’70s influences without being overly reverential.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Allison Schrager, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for influence
Noun
Kent State was reduced to a single photo because the press was far more centralized at the time, and had the power and the influence to edit, curate, and promote a particular version of an event.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
There are also occasional flashes of Sharon Van Etten’s early 2010s albums, and producer Adam Schatz (of Landlady, who has also worked with Japanese Breakfast and Neko Case) has created a perfect setting for the songs that evokes the ’70s influences without being overly reverential.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
Conventional monetary policy tends to influence short-term rates; longer-term rates are set by the markets.
—Allison Schrager, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for influence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influence
Noun
-
Generally, chambers of commerce can have some sway in local politics.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Of course, the project also speaks to the vast global sway of anime and manga — and to the broader industry shift toward developing and producing such content closer to home.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The region has seen the deployment of the National Guard and Marines, the cancellation of public events and a visible chilling effect on the use of local businesses and services.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
-
When does the Ohio THC ban go into effect?—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Smaller companies are also adversely affected.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
-
But Braun was solid before tiring and working through injuries that affected him on the ball over the final month last season.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Aaron Scott, a partner at Dechert in London, noted that CLOs issued since 2013 benefit from improved structural protections put in place in the years following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis — such as lower leverage, stricter ratings criteria and tougher tests on the underlying loan collateral.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The Ostar Jar Opener works by offering leverage to break tough seals on jars and bottles, while its rubber lining holds a steady grip.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
During his postgame news conference, Napier had a thankful message for the crowd, thanking them for making a positive impact on his players on the field.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Given that the mobile phone is the typical livestreaming device, that also had an impact on the film and its format.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Every candle in the collection impresses, but Côté Maquis stands out with an elusive, intoxicating aroma that’s hard to describe yet instantly captivating.—
Michael Stefanov,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Their perspective seems to point to the fact that more practical, hard skills—such as how credit scores work, or how to pay off credit card debt—are valued over the soft skills that great works of literature might impress on young minds.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
He has not been seen in public since March, but the investigation of his activities had not previously been disclosed by Chinese authorities.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Together, the rulings set the stage for higher-court tests of presidential authority over domestic military deployments and federal funding decisions—issues that could define the legal boundaries of executive power in the months ahead.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Influence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influence. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share