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

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

It must therefore seek to survive within the de facto sphere of influence of its hostile neighbor.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2025

What there is in this world, I think, is a tendency for human errors to level themselves like water throughout their sphere of influence.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver