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The earliest known use of influence in English referred to a flowing power coming from what?

influence

[in-floo-uhns] / ˈɪn flu əns /




Usage

What are other ways to say influence? Influence is a personal and unofficial power derived from deference of others to one's character, ability, or station; it may be exerted unconsciously or may operate through persuasion: to have influence over one's friends. Authority is a power or right, usually because of rank or office, to issue commands and to punish for violations: to have authority over subordinates. Control is either power or influence applied to the complete and successful direction or manipulation of persons or things: to be in control of a project. 

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.

See Examples For:

They’re set to influence the future trajectories of the largest global economies and trade routes.

From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026

Huang’s influence and dealmaking skills are exactly what has grown the industry to its current size, Arora told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026

Government spending on science and technology also has exercised a powerful influence on employment in those fields.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026

The finding raises questions about whether cholesterol-lowering medications could influence the effectiveness of chemotherapy in certain situations.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026

And although her father just might have been right in this instance, Clare was growing very tired of that old badger’s influence.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

One in five parents of children aged three to nine say the chance to play together as a family influences what they buy, according to market intelligence company The Insights Family.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2026

Generally, the rarer a decay is, the more sensitive it can be to these hidden influences.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 10, 2026

Though there are those who think Indigenous cultures must be kept in isolation so that they are not tainted or transformed by outside influences, Valencia believes in preservation through dissemination.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2026

The amount and type of protein that escapes digestion could also help determine how food influences the gut microbiome.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

“You carry a great many burdens with you. A heavy heart. Things you’ve lost. But you are moving toward change and discovery. There are outside influences that are propelling you forward.”

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

I said, ‘Wow, you’re joking,’ because all of us were influenced by John,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026

Sources have stressed that the choice of location was not influenced not being the debate around Carrick's future - it just happens to now be the most important item for discussion.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026

RushTok is a major factor in the acceleration of all of this, and the Wellness Society model is heavily influenced by the increasingly brand-centric world of Greek Life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

The movement has also influenced researchers and staff at other AI companies, including ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, particularly those working on AI safety.

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

The fear that my nearest and dearest American friend might influence me in ways they didn't want me to be influenced.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

The findings, published in Nature Aging, reveal a previously unknown way that cancer cells can continue influencing a tumor even after treatment has stopped them from multiplying.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026

Nvidia’s outlay on influencing Washington remains below the amounts shelled out by Washington’s biggest lobbying organizations, as well as other tech giants.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026

By influencing how the brain connects flavors with their consequences, future treatments might someday help people develop different preferences rather than simply making them feel less hungry.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

Still, "effective altruism is now a movement large enough that it's actually really influencing the world, and that's getting noticed," he said.

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

Piper looked up at the clouds and wondered if her mother, Aphrodite, was somehow influencing him.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan


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