INFLUENTIAL Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

influential

adjective

ˌin-(ˌ)flü-ˈen(t)-shəl

Definition of influential

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

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 actor, best known for his work on Amazon Prime’s young adult drama Panic, is set to portray influential rapper Tupac Shakur in Snoop, Universal Pictures’ biopic of entertainment mogul and music icon Snoop Dogg. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026 That last one sold more than 20 million copies when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard, further enhancing Parton’s image as an influential, genre-defying artist. — Stephen L. Betts, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 Instead, Gonzalez was influential in stealing possession from Newcastle and moving the home side up the field quickly, with Manchester City triumphing 4-0. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 His four decades of work span some of the most influential productions in British and international cinema, leaving a lasting legacy within the property department and the wider filmmaking community. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for influential

Recent Examples of Synonyms for influential

Adjective

Because these procedures can be incredibly complex, each chamber of Congress has a parliamentarian who provides authoritative, objective, and nonpartisan guidance on how rules and precedents should be interpreted and applied.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Their strategic advantage lies in leveraging local expertise and trusted, authoritative content directly within AI interfaces.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of authoritative

Adjective

Experts said it was most likely caused by a partial glacier collapse that sent tons of ice and rock crashing down into the valley below, setting off a powerful landslide.

— Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Hacking incident Hugging Face was recently at the center of a hacking incident that raised concerns about the rapid evolution of powerful AI and cybersecurity tools.

— April Roach, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

That has changed quietly, with robots now performing important roles in operating rooms, hospital wards, rehabilitation centers, and corridors around the world.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Reseeding is particularly important in high-traffic areas or patches of the lawn where grubs, heat, or disease have left the turf thin.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of important

Adjective

Claiming the 29-year-old Robert would require a more significant financial commitment than Sewald.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The advanced weapon features AV’s 20kW-class LOCUST LWS integrated on the General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) platform–a significant advancement in mobile, frontline C-UAS capabilities.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of significant

Adjective

His once-dominant bat has gone quiet, leading to significant fan frustration, including boos at home games despite his excellent defense.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
At the time, Americans sipped one dominant style of beer, a light lager, sold by big breweries such as Coors and Anheuser-Busch.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of dominant

Adjective

Davis delivered a strong preseason, but he is now likely headed to a redshirt rookie season unless injuries strike at tackle.

— Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
There’s no denying that the fall 2026 runways made a strong case for color; even the street style scene is on board, slipping into colorful shoes and sporting handbags in a variety of vibrant shades—baby pink, chartreuse, and cobalt.

— Laura Jackson, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of strong

Browse Nearby Words

influent

influential

influents

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Influential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/influential. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of influential

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes