influence

American  

[in-floo-uhns] / ˈɪn flu əns /

noun

• influences
  plural

1. the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.

   He used family influence to get the contract.

2. the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others.

   Her mother's influence made her stay.

   Synonyms:

   guidance, pressure, sway, effect

3. a person or thing that exerts influence.

   He is an influence for the good.

4. Astrology.

   1. the radiation of an ethereal fluid from the stars, regarded as affecting human actions and destinies.

   2. the exercise of occult power by the stars, or such power as exercised.

5. the exercise of similar power by human beings.

6. Obsolete. influx.

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verb (used with object)

• influences,
  present (3rd person singular)
• influenced,
  past participle,  past
• influencing
  present participle

1. to exercise influence on; affect; sway.

   to influence a person.

   Synonyms:

   move, impress, control, direct, bias

2. to move or impel (a person) to some action.

   Outside factors influenced her to resign.

   Synonyms:

   persuade, induce, instigate, arouse, rouse, incite

idioms

1. under the influence, less than drunk but with one's nervous system impaired: Also under the influence of intoxicating liquor

   He was driving while under the influence.

influence British  

/ ˈɪnflʊəns /

noun

1. an effect of one person or thing on another

2. the power of a person or thing to have such an effect

3. power or sway resulting from ability, wealth, position, etc

4. a person or thing having influence

5. astrology an ethereal fluid or occult power regarded as emanating from the stars and affecting a person's actions, future, etc

6. informal drunk

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verb

1. to persuade or induce

2. to have an effect upon (actions, events, etc); affect

influence More Idioms  

1. see under the influence.

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Usage

What are other ways to say influence? Influence is the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions of another or others. How does influence compare to control and authority? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterinfluence
  noun
• influencer
  noun
• noninfluence
  noun
• preinfluence
  noun
• superinfluence
  noun
• interinfluence
  verb
• outinfluence
  verb (used with object)
• overinfluence
  verb (used with object)
• reinfluence
  verb (used with object)
• influenceable
  adjective
• uninfluenced
  adjective
• uninfluencing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• influences
  plural

Participles

• influencing
  present
• influenced
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• influence
  simple
• influences
  simple
• have influenced
  perfect
• has influenced
  perfect
• am influencing
  progressive
• are influencing
  progressive
• is influencing
  progressive
• have been influencing
  perfect progressive
• has been influencing
  perfect progressive

Past

• influenced
  simple
• had influenced
  perfect
• was influencing
  progressive
• were influencing
  progressive
• had been influencing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will influence
  simple
• will have influenced
  perfect
• will be influencing
  progressive
• will have been influencing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of influence

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Medieval Latin influentia “stellar emanation,” equivalent to Latin influent- ( see influent) + -ia -y ³; see -ence

Explanation

Influence is the power to have an important effect on someone or something. If someone influences someone else, they are changing a person or thing in an indirect but important way. Sometimes a person who influences another doesn't intend to have any effect, but sometimes they are using influence to benefit themselves. An example of a personal benefit or advantage would be the use of political influence. Influence is also a verb, from Latin influere to flow in.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

influence influences influenced influencing

Korean culture is also an influence at Haven, a 12-seat chef’s counter that the pastry chef Tatum Lynéa Sinclair is set to open later this year in Chicago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Nall said while she is hesitant to use the word “optimistic,” she has been seeing improvements in AI’s answers since they’ve been doubling down on their efforts to influence LLMs.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

The Bank of England sets rates to influence future inflation.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

In simple terms, it acts like a gravitational influence built into spacetime itself, one that can exist even in otherwise empty space.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

Cast your whole vote, Ellsberg thought, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

For more than four decades, Kidjo, 66, has taken African sounds to global audiences, blending influences from her native Benin with funk, jazz and pop.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

While MasterChef Italia is deeply rooted in the country's own food traditions, he said the British version featured a much broader mix, including Indian, Japanese and Mexican influences.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

A 334-page report reveals the influences that shaped American communities as they spread across the country.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

“We always had this idea of the angel and the devil influences on Tony and the two paths that were laid in front of him,” Howe says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

All in all, he seems a beast utterly untouched by the softening influences of modern civilization.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

He said the debt influenced his decision to turn down a higher-paying job offer that would have triggered even steeper loan deductions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

The good news is that AI is currently influenced by SEO strategies.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

Over Europe, there are signals for a wetter-than-average autumn, potentially influenced by global ocean changes, including the developing El Niño weather phenomenon.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

There’s a culture at the time of lavish gift-giving to diplomats and foreign officials, and he’s just terrified that officers of the United States will be beholden and influenced by foreigners.

From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026

First, even our cognitive abilities as adults are heavily influenced by the social environment that we experienced during childhood, making it hard to discern any influence of preexisting genetic differences.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may already be influencing human biology.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026

Energy markets and oil prices also play an important role in influencing the COLA.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

Another example of ancient wisdom influencing modern techniques can be found in the way Australia fights fire with fire.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The lawsuit accused the city’s Rent Guidelines Board of using a “sham process” before voting in June and Mamdani of influencing the outcome.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

If heredity too had a universal natural law, then it was likely influencing the genesis of peas as much as the genesis of humans.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• clout
• consequence
• control
• domination
• effect
• force
• impact
• importance
• leadership
• leverage
• money
• pressure
• prestige
• repercussion
• reputation
• significance
• weight