influential

1 of 2

adjective

in·​flu·​en·​tial ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen(t)-shəl How to pronounce influential (audio)
: exerting or possessing influence
influentially adverb

influential

2 of 2

noun

: one who has great influence

Examples of influential in a Sentence

Adjective His theories have become more influential in recent years. My parents have been the most influential people in my life.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Kennedy, who has a history of hostility toward vaccines and has promoted conspiracy theories, earlier this week took the unprecedented step of removing all 17 members of the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025 The movie charts the influential British rock group's origin story in the late 1960s, from their earliest days – and how everybody wasn't all about that now-iconic name – to their meteoric rise as one of the world's biggest bands. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 14 June 2025
Noun
But that’s not the only fix Richard Reeves suggests in his influential Of Boys and Men. Joan C. Williams june 13, Literary Hub, 13 June 2025 To secure support from the elders and influentials, potential parliamentarians were reputed to have paid tens of thousands of dollars for a vote. Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2017 See All Example Sentences for influential

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1570, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of influential was in 1570

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Cite this Entry

“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/influential. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

influential

adjective
in·​flu·​en·​tial
ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen-chəl
: having influence
influentially
-ˈench-(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on influential

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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