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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.

This lack of a roughly circular orbit around the Sun suggested either an impact early in its lifetime that put it on this path, or gravitational influence from planet nine.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

The alarm about “60 Minutes” is a quaint throwback to an era when it exercised an outsize influence on the minds of the American public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Anthropic and OpenAI will join SpaceX at the US mega-corp top table – exerting hitherto unseen power and influence across the globe and unprecedented dominion over its citizens if its champions are to be believed.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Some analysts say the summit could be Xi's way of countering Russia's growing influence over North Korea, but DePaul's Ku noted that "overall, Moscow is not a major power like China".

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

In some vaguely general fashion, they understood this, regarding the construction of the District of Columbia on the Potomac as a statement of Virginia’s enduring influence over the federal government.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis




Vocabulary lists containing influence


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