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
Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
May 21 – June 20 Fresh influences could be arriving from your wider circles.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
And beyond that, our favorite spring cookbooks can guide you through making your own butter, the multitude of culinary influences that weave through the Caribbean and Indigenous American traditions that emphasize connection with the land.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The Aramco magazine has covered Albanian folk music, Muslim influences on American blues, Arabic translations of superhero comics, and the migration of camels.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The rooms For the 28 rooms, Castillo drew inspiration from a myriad of influences, including 19th-century Romanticism.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2026
Puka and business partner Scott Miller launched the DORO Marketplace concept in West Hartford six years ago, banking on a mix of European influences in menu and decor to draw steady crowds.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Some experts point to economic factors, others say cultural influences, and better access to education and contraception for women are driving the change.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Country music has long evolved by absorbing new influences.
—Amelia Edelman, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
El Niño and La Niña are opposite ends of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation -- a climate phenomenon based on water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that influences temperatures and precipitation around the globe, according to the NOAA.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
The Fed’s short-term rate influences other borrowing costs in the economy, including for mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
This intricate system influences far more than movement alone—impacting everything from circulation and digestion to lymphatic flow and hormone balance.
—Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 15 Apr. 2026
Future research could explore how drinking saline water influences cardiovascular disease risk and what salinity levels are harmful to health.
—Rajiv Chowdhury, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2026
Timing influences effectiveness for yogis who add nutrition after a workout or routine.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 13 Apr. 2026
In its most ambitious set, PowerUp Toys' Starflux Balsa Wood RC Airplane Kit delivers a hands-on experience where each step influences success in the air.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
That consequently influences much of the rest of the curriculum.
—Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
Your life story, your influences, that's unique.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
May 21 – June 20 Fresh influences could be arriving from your wider circles.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
And beyond that, our favorite spring cookbooks can guide you through making your own butter, the multitude of culinary influences that weave through the Caribbean and Indigenous American traditions that emphasize connection with the land.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The Aramco magazine has covered Albanian folk music, Muslim influences on American blues, Arabic translations of superhero comics, and the migration of camels.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The rooms For the 28 rooms, Castillo drew inspiration from a myriad of influences, including 19th-century Romanticism.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2026
Puka and business partner Scott Miller launched the DORO Marketplace concept in West Hartford six years ago, banking on a mix of European influences in menu and decor to draw steady crowds.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Some experts point to economic factors, others say cultural influences, and better access to education and contraception for women are driving the change.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Country music has long evolved by absorbing new influences.
—Amelia Edelman, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
The research team set out to determine whether diet directly influences this fat buildup.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
El Niño and La Niña are opposite ends of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation -- a climate phenomenon based on water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that influences temperatures and precipitation around the globe, according to the NOAA.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
The Fed’s short-term rate influences other borrowing costs in the economy, including for mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
This intricate system influences far more than movement alone—impacting everything from circulation and digestion to lymphatic flow and hormone balance.
—Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 15 Apr. 2026
Future research could explore how drinking saline water influences cardiovascular disease risk and what salinity levels are harmful to health.
—Rajiv Chowdhury, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2026
Timing influences effectiveness for yogis who add nutrition after a workout or routine.
—William Jones, Ascend Agency, 13 Apr. 2026
In its most ambitious set, PowerUp Toys' Starflux Balsa Wood RC Airplane Kit delivers a hands-on experience where each step influences success in the air.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
That consequently influences much of the rest of the curriculum.
—Abby McCloskey, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influences
Noun
-
But even as older viewers and opponents of the merger fret about corporate consolidation and its problematic effects on viewers, millions of Americans have already moved on to other forms of media.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Although rare in modern economic history, its effects are often devastating—economically and socially.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is a good moment for a direct money conversation or to review something that affects both sides.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The shape of a pot affects drainage, with taller, narrower pots draining better than shorter, wider ones.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond extending flight time, the shift to hydrogen leverages the laws of physics to improve drone reliability.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
-
OneTeam Partners negotiates media deals and leverages players’ name, image and licensing rights.—
David Carrillo Peñaloza,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
While there are no comprehensive studies comparing the environmental impacts of cultivated versus conventional seafood, alternatives like Wildtype could avoid ocean pollution and overfishing, which have caused losses in biodiversity and destroyed the ocean’s resiliency.—
Jaia Clingham-David,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Lawmakers took up the issue Tuesday, considering the challenges city and county leaders face trying to balance economic opportunity with environmental impacts.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Want to make a weeknight meal that really impresses?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The streak certainly impresses goaltender Scott Wedgewood.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Though authorities declined to release additional video from that evening, the department did share dispatch audio of the welfare check.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The three other victims were taken to the hospital by private vehicle and later released, according to authorities.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There have been a handful of stylistic variations on the Spirit Adrift formula over the years, and Infinite Illumination touches on most of them.—
Brad Sanders,
Pitchfork,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The six-week program is made up of three tiers depending on age and experience, and touches a variety of fields, from health care to manufacturing, carpentry, and emerging tech, with at least 150 businesses taking part.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
From my tried-and-true tactics (getting 10,000 daily steps, running, doing Pilates, not snacking after dinner) to emerging advice (lifting heavier weights, eating all the protein), each fresh burst of motivation only leaves me more deflated.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In March, shortly after the Da Nang landing, an Assistant Secretary of Defense, John McNaughton, wrote a memo assigning relative weights to American objectives in Vietnam.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Influences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influences. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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