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influence

[in-floo-uhns] / ˈɪn flu əns /




Usage

What are other ways to say influence? Influence is a personal and unofficial power derived from deference of others to one's character, ability, or station; it may be exerted unconsciously or may operate through persuasion: to have influence over one's friends. Authority is a power or right, usually because of rank or office, to issue commands and to punish for violations: to have authority over subordinates. Control is either power or influence applied to the complete and successful direction or manipulation of persons or things: to be in control of a project. 

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.

See Examples For:

Since taking charge in May, Mundhe has overseen thousands of inspections and says food safety laws must be enforced regardless of a business's size, influence or reputation.

From BBC Sep. 7, 2026

The holiday has particular resonance in Southern California, where the labor movement remains large in numbers and powerful in political influence.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 7, 2026

JPMorgan Chase, for example, hired a behavioral scientist in 2024 to help employees talk to customers who might be under a scammer’s influence.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 6, 2026

This suggests that the local tissue environment of a joint may influence whether inflammation is able to take hold later in life.

From Science Daily Sep. 5, 2026

Spanish influence in the Philippines is evident in the country’s language, religious practices, surnames, and culture.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

The 10-year Treasury yield directly influences how much consumers and businesses pay to borrow, including on mortgages and auto loans.

From MarketWatch Sep. 2, 2026

Areas below 2,000 feet are expected to benefit from more moisture and humidity as the marine layer deepens into next week, but “above the marine influences, it’ll still be quite warm and dry,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 30, 2026

In many cases, the two human influences were interconnected.

From Science Daily Aug. 28, 2026

The Fed sets a single, overnight interest rate, which then influences long-term bond yields and mortgage rates.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 27, 2026

Over the centuries that followed, there were two key influences on the way rhetoric developed: Christianity and the written word.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

She said until this year, the trust had never recorded seal pups being born in every month of a calendar year, and believed climate change had influenced breeding patterns.

From BBC Sep. 5, 2026

Selena’s background was in Tejano, yet she was heavily influenced by heavy-hitters in pop, disco and R&B — namely Jody Watley, Janet Jackson and Donna Summer.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 4, 2026

"My decision on the appropriate stance of policy will be heavily influenced by what we learn about August inflation," Waller told Reuters on Thursday.

From Barron's Sep. 3, 2026

One reason is that it is closely connected with aging and is probably influenced by several different biological factors.

From Science Daily Sep. 2, 2026

In a wild fly species named Drosophila pseudoobscura, for instance, Dobzhansky found multiple gene variants that influenced complex traits, such as life span, eye structure, bristle morphology, and wing size.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

A neutral ratio of 1.0 points to churn, where neither buyers or sellers are influencing the stock.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 7, 2026

Not least because the meal-assembling robot companies that have seemingly disappeared are actually still influencing food start-ups.

From BBC Aug. 27, 2026

The second bill aims to bar private investors from influencing a case — for example, telling a lawyer how many clients to take on or when to settle — in lawsuits they fund.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 27, 2026

"We were able to identify numerous genes and signaling pathways that are temporarily activated during repair. They could serve as starting points in the future for influencing post-disease and -injury regeneration processes," Weber stresses.

From Science Daily Aug. 12, 2026

But if the planets could determine the destinies of nations, how could they avoid influencing what will happen to me tomorrow?

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan




Vocabulary lists containing influence


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