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
Relevance
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
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 influential
Cesar Chavez was a labor organizer and civil rights activist who became one of the most influential figures in the modern farmworker movement, particularly in California and the American Southwest.
—
Paris Barraza, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Cabello, one of the movement’s most influential leaders, also called on supporters to remain mobilized and to pray for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are being held in New York on drug trafficking charges.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Grammarly’s leadership framed the feature as designed to help users discover influential perspectives and provide meaningful opportunities for experts to build deeper relationships with their audiences, suggesting the intent was mutually beneficial rather than purely exploitative.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
By championing the Women Artist Initiative and the internationalization of the board of trustees, Madeleine ensured that gender parity and global representation became core to the MCA’s identity, leaving the organization more inclusive and more influential than ever before.
—News Desk, Artforum, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for influential
Paris Barraza, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Cabello, one of the movement’s most influential leaders, also called on supporters to remain mobilized and to pray for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are being held in New York on drug trafficking charges.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Grammarly’s leadership framed the feature as designed to help users discover influential perspectives and provide meaningful opportunities for experts to build deeper relationships with their audiences, suggesting the intent was mutually beneficial rather than purely exploitative.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
By championing the Women Artist Initiative and the internationalization of the board of trustees, Madeleine ensured that gender parity and global representation became core to the MCA’s identity, leaving the organization more inclusive and more influential than ever before.
—News Desk, Artforum, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
-
Francis ordered the Argentine criteria published as an official act of the Vatican and wrote a letter to the bishops declaring their interpretation authoritative.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
With an authoritative and rich baritone voice, Orion Samuelson delivered critical information for farmers across the Midwest during a 60-year career as WGN-AM radio’s agribusiness reporter.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But that 34-day war only further enhanced Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon as a powerful armed militia, operating outside of government reach while at the same time — particularly since 2008 – actually being part of the government and having effective control over it.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
-
And what works for this writer are powerful hits of nostalgia, preferably from childhood, preferably in relation to football, preferably, and more specifically, to the aesthetics of football.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One of the more important revelations from Netanyahu’s press conference was about how the joint strikes with the United States, known as Operation Epic Fury, have been extremely effective at decimating Iran’s weapons.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
But, really, these are the times when that stuff is most important.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Robots learn faster The GAE model marks a significant step forward in motion intelligence for humanoid and service robots, enabling machines to learn physical tasks more naturally and efficiently.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
-
For many in South Florida, the possibility of compensation remains uncertain — with major questions lingering over eligibility, funding, and whether any agreement would require significant political concessions.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Heat’s defense was especially dominant at the start, limiting the Cavaliers to just 19 points in the first quarter.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Netflix does a lot of things exceedingly well, hence its dominant position in the marketplace, but the tech company and industry disruptor doesn’t really do tradition.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes roughly 100 House Democrats, has formally opposed a reauthorization without changes to the program, marking its strongest stance yet against Section 702 and complicating the path forward for GOP leadership, according to the Hill.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Like a magic potion in a fairy tale, these liquid cleanses promised clear skin, strong nails, shiny hair, and gut health.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influential. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
