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
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Recent Examples of influences
Mark David,
Robb Report,
27 June 2026
For Sirmans, those influences give the exhibition a particular resonance in Miami.
—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
On Harmony, their sophomore album, the duo gleefully throws dubstep, nu-metal, and trap in a blender with the lid off, letting their influences splatter the walls and drawing out their initials.
—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
26 June 2026
To better identify the influences within a particular industry, a company needs to understand a metric that falls between how search engines assign weight to a webpage and the number of unpaid links a site receives.
—
Avinash Tripathi,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Some layer in Korean or other global influences.
—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
26 June 2026
Following his jail release in 1962, the burgeoning musician honed his chops on Toronto's Yonge Street strip, soaking up the R&B influences of the local music scene.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Nando's was founded in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1987, combining the peri-peri flavors of the African Bird's Eye Chilli that grows in Mozambique, which had been used by Southeast African people for centuries, with Portuguese influences of lemon and garlic, per the chain's website.
—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The music in the film blends influences from the 1980s and ’90s, particularly drawing inspiration from Filipino and Filipino-American musical culture.
—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Studies show that your gut health influences much more than just good digestion, including skin, immunity, energy, and mood.
—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
25 June 2026
Format influences whether someone actually maintains the habit.
—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
This, in turn, influences their approach to communication, romance and conflict.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
An example study in 2019 examined how the mass of a soccer ball influences the rotation, stability and motion of the sphere.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 June 2026
Social connection influences health outcomes as powerfully as many medical interventions.
—
Ezekiel J. Emanuel,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
The arrays monitor ocean conditions, track marine heatwaves and collect data on how the ocean influences hurricanes and other events.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Daily exposure to sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which influences sleep quality, insulin sensitivity, appetite, and glucose (sugar) control.
—
Brittany Poulson,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2026
Noun
The hillside home has been thoughtfully restored and updated with Scandinavian and Japanese design influences.
—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
27 June 2026
For Sirmans, those influences give the exhibition a particular resonance in Miami.
—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
On Harmony, their sophomore album, the duo gleefully throws dubstep, nu-metal, and trap in a blender with the lid off, letting their influences splatter the walls and drawing out their initials.
—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
26 June 2026
To better identify the influences within a particular industry, a company needs to understand a metric that falls between how search engines assign weight to a webpage and the number of unpaid links a site receives.
—
Avinash Tripathi,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Some layer in Korean or other global influences.
—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
26 June 2026
Following his jail release in 1962, the burgeoning musician honed his chops on Toronto's Yonge Street strip, soaking up the R&B influences of the local music scene.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Nando's was founded in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1987, combining the peri-peri flavors of the African Bird's Eye Chilli that grows in Mozambique, which had been used by Southeast African people for centuries, with Portuguese influences of lemon and garlic, per the chain's website.
—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
The music in the film blends influences from the 1980s and ’90s, particularly drawing inspiration from Filipino and Filipino-American musical culture.
—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Verb
Amber Duncan, founder of Life After Debt, says that pressure often influences spending decisions.
—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Studies show that your gut health influences much more than just good digestion, including skin, immunity, energy, and mood.
—
Tatiana Dias,
Vogue,
25 June 2026
Format influences whether someone actually maintains the habit.
—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
This, in turn, influences their approach to communication, romance and conflict.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
An example study in 2019 examined how the mass of a soccer ball influences the rotation, stability and motion of the sphere.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 June 2026
Social connection influences health outcomes as powerfully as many medical interventions.
—
Ezekiel J. Emanuel,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
The arrays monitor ocean conditions, track marine heatwaves and collect data on how the ocean influences hurricanes and other events.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Daily exposure to sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which influences sleep quality, insulin sensitivity, appetite, and glucose (sugar) control.
—
Brittany Poulson,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influences
Noun
-
Another loophole Trump leverages to achieve his all-encompassing power grab is the National Emergencies Act.
-
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.
Noun
-
The compounding effects of high fuel costs along with the debt that helped finance the purchase and the upgrades to the planes accumulated quickly.
-
Leaders are constantly in a chronic, sympathetic-dominant state that, if not appropriately managed, can have downstream effects on their cardiovascular health, immune functioning, sleep, and even personal relationships.
Verb
-
Remote work affects different people in different ways, Bloom said.
-
What matters is understanding how disruption affects services, revenue streams, customer commitments and regulatory obligations most critical to the business.
Noun
-
For China’s grueling annual college entrance exam earlier this month – which more than 10 million hopefuls take each year – authorities required screening of all glasses.
-
Family members of Leatherwood identified Rodriguez as one of the suspects, though local and federal authorities had not initially confirmed that connection publicly.
Noun
-
Dybantsa was in a heated race against Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer to be the top pick as all three are projected to make immediate impacts at the professional level.
-
Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires.
Verb
-
Newcastle are keen to get the Munoz transfer sealed, given that if the versatile attacker impresses on the global stage, that may prompt greater interest.
-
What impresses Dubi most, however, is not Gasol's fame but his leadership style.
Noun
-
Full-body workouts can be completed at home by using your weights on both your ankles and your wrists to perform lower- and upper-body exercises.
-
Second, the sample was weighted using energy balancing, which finds weights by minimizing the energy distance — a statistical measure of the difference between two multivariate distributions — between the survey and the target population.
Verb
-
The Los Angeles guitarist and songwriter touches on grief, rejection, and love in lo-fi shoegaze songs that package sunny melodies with comforting gloom.
-
Let guests arrive, grab drinks and catch up before anyone touches a rulebook.
Cite this Entry
“Influences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influences. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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