sphere of influence

noun phrase

: a territorial area within which the political influence or the interests of one nation are held to be more or less paramount

Examples of sphere of influence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Larger crowds gather for idols from various spheres of influence. —

Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026 Away from the track, the tributes pouring in revealed just how enormous Busch’s sphere of influence really was. —

Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but Russia continues to see the country — sandwiched between Ukraine and EU member Romania — as within its sphere of influence. —

ABC News, 16 May 2026 While formally recognizing the independence of former Soviet republics in 1991, Moscow has continued to treat those countries as part of its sphere of influence. —

Lena Surzhko Harned, The Conversation, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sphere of influence

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of sphere of influence was in 1885

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Browse Nearby Words

sphereless

sphere of influence

spheric

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sphere of influence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sphere%20of%20influence. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

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