sphere of influence
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sphere of influence
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
Orion's next milestone, set to take place on day five of the 10-day mission, is to enter the lunar sphere of influence, where the Moon's gravitational pull exceeds that of the Earth, according to NASA.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
Across Iran’s sphere of influence Christian communities have experienced demographic collapse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
The Monroe Doctrine dates back to the U.S. president in 1823 who articulated his opposition to further European colonization of Latin America which he asserted would henceforth be a U.S. sphere of influence.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 30, 2025
Former US President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Liberia's independence in 1862 but the country retained a lot of US heritage and it remained in the American "sphere of influence" during the colonial period.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025
Roman women supported the efforts of their husbands, but their sphere of influence was small.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
