1
as in authoritative
having power over the minds or behavior of others
in light of the effect that they have had, religious leaders such as Jesus and Muḥammad must be regarded as among the most influential people ever
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerful
having great power or influence
a particularly influential politician got the team a new ballpark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of influential
And, according to many influential figures on the right, there’s a stay-at-home mom who holds it all together.
—
Anna North, Vox, 26 June 2025
But reviewing cemented her reputation as an influential critic.
—Nicola Wilson
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Anna Wintour plans to step away from her role as editor in chief of the U.S. edition of Vogue but will retain two highly influential roles at the publication and its parent.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Kennedy, who has a history of hostility toward vaccines and has promoted conspiracy theories, earlier this week took the unprecedented step of removing all 17 members of the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Anna North, Vox, 26 June 2025
But reviewing cemented her reputation as an influential critic.
—Nicola Wilson
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Anna Wintour plans to step away from her role as editor in chief of the U.S. edition of Vogue but will retain two highly influential roles at the publication and its parent.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Kennedy, who has a history of hostility toward vaccines and has promoted conspiracy theories, earlier this week took the unprecedented step of removing all 17 members of the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.
—Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
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Whereas serif fonts feel authoritative and timeless, sans serif fonts can feel modern or informal.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Ralphs’ tasteful, authoritative and often-underrated guitar work and songwriting acumen were a trademark of both bands across the 1970s.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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This could unlock powerful use cases beyond assistive tech for people with paralysis.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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The impact of this powerful novel is heightened by Golden Voice narrator Nicholas Boulton’s keen understanding of its author’s purposes.—
AudioFile Magazine
June 27,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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This is important, because academic research has shown that financial literacy educational programs need to generate a sense of excitement in order to have an impact.—
Hersh Shefrin,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
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Moist soil is important; however, areas where moisture accumulates during the winter are not suitable as this will make the tubers rot.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
Adding significant pieces on the open market is costly and risky, perhaps no more or less than daring to move on from Dobson.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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The company is trading at merely 0.4 times its potential revenues for 2030—a significant discount for a technology leader poised to grow from nothing to over $10 billion in revenue within a few years.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The 22-year-old is fresh off a dominant senior season and is widely regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects of his respective class.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
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The past two years made clear that Israel, with U.S. help, is the dominant military force.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
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This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influential. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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