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
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Recent Examples of influential
In the early 1900s, journalism, the muckrakers, became highly influential, raising awareness about many social ills, including child labor, unsafe working conditions and unsanitary food processing.
—
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Those polled also said buzz from friends/family was influential (15%) as well as the in-theater trailer (14%).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 June 2025
No other program has been as influential in terms of both the types of shows being made and when they were shown.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 31 May 2025
But Means has attracted scrutiny from health professionals over her background and the ire from some on the far-right including activist Laura Loomer, an influential voice for Trump.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Those polled also said buzz from friends/family was influential (15%) as well as the in-theater trailer (14%).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 1 June 2025
No other program has been as influential in terms of both the types of shows being made and when they were shown.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 31 May 2025
But Means has attracted scrutiny from health professionals over her background and the ire from some on the far-right including activist Laura Loomer, an influential voice for Trump.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for influential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential
Adjective
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Sharing these private details will be challenging, since authoritative Saturn and confusing Neptune will corner the sun over the next few days.—
Liz Simmons,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2025
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One 2022 study found that children raised with an authoritative parenting style were more likely to achieve academically.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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In April, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ, two politically powerful local unions, endorsed Cuomo despite having also pressured him to resign in 2021.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The intelligence teams gather during interviews preceding testing is just as important, if not more so.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
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Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
The storms have brought significant thunder and lightning but generally have been accompanied by light rainfall, a tenth of an inch or less.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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Uzbekistan is making significant progress toward World Trade Organization accession (a game changer for its international trade aspirations), and its digital economy, underpinned by compelling tax and regulatory incentives, is achieving exponential growth.—
Djasur Djumaev,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet mainstream culture is no longer dominant there: The media outlets and public figures are now punch lines for the site’s main characters, Musk and his MAGA acolytes.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
23 May 2025
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But perhaps the most dominant aspect of the win came on the defensive end.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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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
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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 6 Jun. 2025.
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