sphere of influence

American  

noun

plural

spheres of influence

1. any area in which one nation wields dominant power over another or others.

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sphere of influence British  

noun

1. a region of the world in which one state is dominant

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Etymology

Origin of sphere of influence

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Across Iran’s sphere of influence Christian communities have experienced demographic collapse.

From The Wall Street Journal

"In a world of competing spheres of influence, EU membership offers an anchor into a bloc grounded in values, prosperity and security."

From Barron's

They said the world appeared to be splitting into spheres of influence, forcing business leaders to think about government relations—and risks to their operations—in an entirely new, transactional way.

From The Wall Street Journal

And the Southeastern Conference has expanded its sphere of influence to include Austin, Texas, and Norman, Okla.

From The Wall Street Journal

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