influence
noun
the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others.
were influencing
-
past progressiveof influence.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Instead, the researchers believed they were influencing BP by encouraging it to plan for climate change, which, Pacala said, “was a win.”
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
He was concerned about losing user trust if people suspected that advertisers were influencing the chatbot’s responses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
By focusing on participants who stayed cognitively healthy for many years, the researchers reduced the chance that these early changes were influencing the results.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 4, 2026
This time around, though, other factors were influencing yields ahead of the Fed’s widely anticipated quarter-point rate reduction by the Federal Reserve — including moves in international sovereign bond markets.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 8, 2025
Cowperwood was lingering in the city at this time, busy with a group of Eastern financiers who were influencing his contest in the state legislature of Illinois.
From The Titan by Theodore Dreiser
