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.
Alan Greenspan, the influential central banker who spent nearly 20 years as chair of the Federal Reserve, died Monday at the age of 100.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
Our critic said the show “stakes out enlightening new ground” in its exploration of “one of the most influential figures in modern art history.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026
It is no coincidence that the former Manchester United man's less influential moments came in moments at Boston Stadium when Scotland were on the back foot.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history.
From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026
Hilary Putnam, perhaps the most influential analytic philosopher of the second half of the twentieth century, published a famous article called “The Meaning of Meaning” in a learned academic volume.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
