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
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Recent Examples of influential
Despite support from Republicans like Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, increasingly influential conservative commentators in the state almost immediately came out in opposition to Schwinn.
—
Erica Meltzer, The Tennessean, 2 Aug. 2025
Time omitted him from its ranking, a choice that no doubt will be viewed by many as just another example in a pattern of dismissing influential alternative voices.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
Helen Lyndon Goff was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, yet most people have never heard of her.
—Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Nan is the Duchess of Tintagel, the most influential woman in the country.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Erica Meltzer, The Tennessean, 2 Aug. 2025
Time omitted him from its ranking, a choice that no doubt will be viewed by many as just another example in a pattern of dismissing influential alternative voices.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025
Helen Lyndon Goff was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, yet most people have never heard of her.
—Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Nan is the Duchess of Tintagel, the most influential woman in the country.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
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The decision means that in the authoritative opinion of the international legal community, all countries are under an obligation to contribute to the efforts to reduce global greenhouse emissions.—
Daimeon Shanks-Dumont,
The Conversation,
1 Aug. 2025
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Whether creating targeted blog posts, authoritative corporate content, persuasive e-commerce descriptions, or detailed educational resources, precise prompts enhance engagement, SEO performance, and monetization potential.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Google has also begun rolling out two powerful filters for album searches.—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Spanning 10 years of work, this international co-production explores utopia, decolonization and love with a unique visual language—bridging past and present in a powerful meditation on liberation and legacy.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Fungi also play an important role in breaking down dead wood and leaves in forest ecosystems.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Aug. 2025
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His background is in sports science, so body mechanics are important to him.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many of them even took him on in races from the blocks, with Phelps often giving the Ravens players a significant head start before diving in.—
Sophie Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Ultimately, Putin does not appear to have yet changed his war calculus, and experts highlighted that there are some significant differences between Putin and his Soviet predecessor, Gorbachev, that make this upcoming talk vastly different.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Bryson DeChambeau has been one of the most dominant American golfers this season.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Beck was dominant in his first season as a starter in 2023.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influential. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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