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
In June, an influential panel of advisers to the CDC is set to debate which vaccines should be recommended to which groups.
—
Lauran Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
The league was influential in getting men’s and women’s flag football included in the 2028 Olympic sports program.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025
The Liverpool academy graduate, then 24, had spoken publicly about his desire to one day captain his boyhood club and had become an increasingly influential and vocal presence in the dressing room.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Second: Pick up a piece of paper and write down the five people outside your immediate family that have been the most influential people in your life.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Lauran Neergaard, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
The league was influential in getting men’s and women’s flag football included in the 2028 Olympic sports program.
—Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 20 May 2025
The Liverpool academy graduate, then 24, had spoken publicly about his desire to one day captain his boyhood club and had become an increasingly influential and vocal presence in the dressing room.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Second: Pick up a piece of paper and write down the five people outside your immediate family that have been the most influential people in your life.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
-
Sharing these private details will be challenging, since authoritative Saturn and confusing Neptune will corner the sun over the next few days.—
Liz Simmons,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2025
-
One 2022 study found that children raised with an authoritative parenting style were more likely to achieve academically.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Climate change means new hurricane threats Climate change makes powerful storms more common, in part because sea surface temperatures are abnormally high in the part of the Atlantic where hurricanes form, and in the Gulf of Mexico where many hurricanes gather strength before hitting land.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
22 May 2025
-
The grounds are expansive and impeccably maintained, and Memorial Day ceremonies here are among the most powerful in the state.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
What’s important now for the new generation that’s entering the workforce – as well as existing workers – is not to operate out of fear of AI, Patel advised.—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
Make paper copies of important documents such as birth certificates and insurance policies.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
The bill would also impose significant caps on loans for parents and undergraduate students, while eliminating a lending program for future graduate students.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
-
One study found that foods with a high water content and low calories were linked to a significant decrease in body weight.14 Cucumbers are also reasonably high in soluble fiber, a natural appetite suppressant that may help target abdominal fat.15 8.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
But perhaps the most dominant aspect of the win came on the defensive end.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2025
-
Yet mainstream culture is no longer dominant there: The media outlets and public figures are now punch lines for the site’s main characters, Musk and his MAGA acolytes.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share