influential
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of influential
First recorded in 1560–70; from Medieval Latin influenti(a) “stellar emanation” ( see influence) + -al 1
Explanation
If your grandfather worked his whole life in a circus and inspired you to wear clown shoes, you could describe your grandfather as very influential in your life. Something that exerts influence or power can be called influential. You could read a deeply meaningful book that becomes influential to you, or there might be an important person in your life who is strongly influential over various decisions you make. The Latin word influentem, "flowing in," is the root of the Old French influence, which described the power was believed to flow from the stars.
Vocabulary lists containing influential
Very Necessary: Synonyms for "Important"
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Latin Love, Vol II: fluere
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Unwind
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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.
Much of Novo’s board resigned last fall, and influential leaders like Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, who led development of semaglutide, have since stepped down.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
And he ruled out bringing Britain back into the European Union if in government, despite his close personal ties to the continent including his French wife who was influential in the recent Bayeux Tapestry exchange.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The influential leaders of UCLA’s Academic Senate sent a more measured letter to Frenk about their “concerns and reservations,” urging administrators and faculty to work together to uphold academic freedom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Coxon after college fell in with a small but influential community of rationalists seeking to remake the British government.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Narration isn’t the most exciting part of a speech— but it can be subtly influential on its outcome.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
