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influence

[ in-floo-uhns ]
/ ˈɪn flu əns /
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See synonyms for: influence / influenced / influences / influencing on Thesaurus.com

noun
verb (used with object), in·flu·enced, in·flu·enc·ing.
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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Idioms about influence

    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 .

Origin of influence

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Medieval Latin influentia “stellar emanation,” equivalent to Latin influent- (see influent) + -ia-y3; see -ence

OTHER WORDS FROM influence

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH influence

affluence, effluence, influence
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use influence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for influence

influence
/ (ˈɪnflʊəns) /

noun
verb (tr)
to persuade or induce
to have an effect upon (actions, events, etc); affect

Derived forms of influence

influenceable, adjectiveinfluencer, noun

Word Origin for influence

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with influence

influence

see under the influence.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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