influence
[in-floo-uh ns]
- 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.
- the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others: Her mother's influence made her stay.
- a person or thing that exerts influence: He is an influence for the good.
- Astrology.
- the radiation of an ethereal fluid from the stars, regarded as affecting human actions and destinies.
- the exercise of occult power by the stars, or such power as exercised.
- the exercise of similar power by human beings.
- Obsolete. influx.
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- to exercise influence on; affect; sway: to influence a person.
- to move or impel (a person) to some action: Outside factors influenced her to resign.
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- under the influence, Law. less than drunk but with one's nervous system impaired: He was driving while under the influence.Also under the influence of intoxicating liquor.
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Origin of influence
Synonyms
See more synonyms for influence on Thesaurus.com2. sway, rule. 7. impress, bias, direct, control. 8. incite, rouse, arouse, instigate, induce, persuade.
Synonym study
2. See authority.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for influence
Contemporary Examples
What sets him apart from so many of his contemporaries was his rare immunity from the influence of prevailing ideas.
"He brought Ray Charles to the mix as an influence on rock & roll," E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt once raved.
These women interred the bodies of saints on their own properties and occasionally managed to influence papal politics.
And if she just gets stuck there, her influence, however great among the Democratic base, will never grow outside of it.
Telltale can give the real Game of Thrones experience, but one that you can influence.
‘Game of Thrones’ Interactive FanFiction: Whoops, My Friend Was Speared in the ThroatAlec Kubas-Meyer
December 13, 2014
Historical Examples
It cannot be denied that he has often made good use of his influence.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Under its influence Hope sometimes appeared at disadvantage.
MalboneThomas Wentworth Higginson
He has no voice in its making, no influence in its administration, it does not represent him.
The influence of Westhampton is Radical, and fills the Council with a lot of outsiders.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
Their influence on us is at least reciprocal with ours on them.
Little Annie's Ramble (From "Twice Told Tales")Nathaniel Hawthorne
influence
- an effect of one person or thing on another
- the power of a person or thing to have such an effect
- power or sway resulting from ability, wealth, position, etc
- a person or thing having influence
- astrology an ethereal fluid or occult power regarded as emanating from the stars and affecting a person's actions, future, etc
- under the influence informal drunk
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- to persuade or induce
- to have an effect upon (actions, events, etc); affect
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Word Origin
C14: from Medieval Latin influentia emanation of power from the stars, from Latin influere to flow into, from fluere to flow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for influence
n.
late 14c., an astrological term, "streaming ethereal power from the stars acting upon character or destiny of men," from Old French influence "emanation from the stars that acts upon one's character and destiny" (13c.), also "a flow of water," from Medieval Latin influentia "a flowing in" (also used in the astrological sense), from Latin influentem (nominative influens), present participle of influere "to flow into," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (see in- (2)) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent). Meaning "exercise of personal power by human beings" is from mid-15c.; meaning "exertion of unseen influence by persons" is from 1580s (a sense already in Medieval Latin, e.g. Aquinas). Under the influence "drunk" first attested 1866.
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v.
1650s, from influence (n.). Related: Influenced; influencing.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with influence
influence
see under the influence.
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.