Definitions

influential

[in-floo-en-shuhl] / ˌɪn fluˈɛn ʃəl /

ADJECTIVE

effective, powerful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

authoritative dominant famous important leading persuasive prominent significant strong

WEAK

affecting big-gun big-wheel controlling efficacious forcible governing guiding impressive inspiring instrumental major-league meaningful momentous moving name potent substantial telling touching weighty

Antonyms

STRONGEST

inconspicuous inferior insignificant obscure subordinate trivial unimportant unknown

WEAK

ineffective ineffectual uninfluential unmoving weak

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Influential lawmakers, labor groups and party insiders have coalesced behind Becerra and Steyer, her top Democratic rivals.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Influential Shia groups in Baghdad have varying links to neighbouring Iran's Islamic Republic, which is also controlled by Shia clerics.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

Influential AI blogger Simon Willison calls this the “lethal trifecta”: privileges to read email or webpages, access private data, and communicate externally.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Influential policing organizations such as the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police have recommended restrictions, which in the past have also been pushed by the Justice Department.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Influential criminologists predicted a coming wave of "superpredators" with whom the juvenile justice system would be unable to cope.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Vocabulary lists containing influential

Very Necessary: Synonyms for "Important"

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Latin Love, Vol II: fluere

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Unwind

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