influencer
Americannoun
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a person or thing that influences.
The most powerful influencer of beliefs is direct experience.
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a person who has the power to influence many people, as through social media or traditional media.
Companies look for Facebook influencers who can promote their brand.
Etymology
Origin of influencer
First recorded in 1660–70; influence ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Someone who uses their online reputation to prompt people to buy things is an influencer. Don't spend all your money on an expensive sweater just because it looked great on an influencer! Influencers are online celebrities, most of whom found their fame on social media platforms. The most popular influencers hold a lot of clout, whether they're publicizing a lifestyle, demonstrating a gadget, or modeling clothing. These internet stars can make a lot of money promoting products for big companies by using their influence over their followers. In addition to this recent definition of influencer, you can also use it for anyone who holds sway over other people's opinions or actions.
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.
Latifi, who gestated the book alongside her firstborn, argues that becoming an influencer is the modern pitch to mothers that they can raise a family without sacrificing their careers.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
The influencer economy is booming to a tune of $250 billion, and it’s dominated by women.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
Because people like to say things like, “If I became a right-wing influencer I’d get so rich,” and while there is some truth to that, there is this underbelly of people with really marginal influence.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
Perhaps most well-known in the looksmaxxing world is the controversial social-media influencer Braden Peters.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
Costa was not unlikely the real founder, or, at the least, the strongest influencer of the Bolognese school.
From A Text-Book of the History of Painting by Van Dyke, John Charles
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.
