1
as in authoritative
having power over the minds or behavior of others
in light of the effect that they have had, religious leaders such as Jesus and Muḥammad must be regarded as among the most influential people ever
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerful
having great power or influence
a particularly influential politician got the team a new ballpark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of influential
The employment contract for the high-profile leader of the influential Capital Region Development Authority was extended until the end of the year, as the quasi-public agency’s board of directors deliberates on naming a successor.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
But Kirkpatrick, who was from Gainesville, and other influential lawmakers worked to keep the dam.
—Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
The fallout could have significant implications for GOP politics moving forward, as Musk remains a highly influential figure in the tech world and contributed nearly $300 million to support Republicans in the 2024 elections.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
However, the attributes that make someone truly effective in a comms leadership role are often less flashy, and far more influential, than many people may realize.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
But Kirkpatrick, who was from Gainesville, and other influential lawmakers worked to keep the dam.
—Jim Saunders, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
The fallout could have significant implications for GOP politics moving forward, as Musk remains a highly influential figure in the tech world and contributed nearly $300 million to support Republicans in the 2024 elections.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
However, the attributes that make someone truly effective in a comms leadership role are often less flashy, and far more influential, than many people may realize.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
-
The most authoritative research on the risk to California was conducted in 2015, but little has changed in the past decade.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
-
In fact, their literature review suggests that many dog owners naturally fall into parenting patterns that largely mirror those of actual parents: permissive, authoritarian or authoritative.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Mahle has developed new batteries, controller and display to go with the powerful mid-drive, along with a bunch of accessories.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 June 2025
-
As Israel’s most powerful ally, the U.S. has tried for years to mediate an end to Iran’s nuclear program.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is one of the most important services of their lives.—
Buddha Lo,
People.com,
13 June 2025
-
But what’s even more important is how the couple got together in the first place.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Values, Legacy, and Portfolio Alignment A significant shift across recent reports highlights how families are increasingly aligning their investments with their core values.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
Nathan struggled in limited playoff action, but few closers in MLB history have been as consistently dominant in the regular season.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
-
Stewart has been quietly dominant to start the season, averaging 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists shooting 54.1% from the field.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
-
According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influential. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share