From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinfluencein‧flu‧ence1 /ˈɪnfluəns/ ●●● S3 W1 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]POWER the power to affect the way someone or something develops, behaves, or thinks, without using direct force or orders As a scientist, his influence was immense.influence on/over the unions’ influence over local politics► see thesaurus at effect2 [countable]EFFECT/INFLUENCE someone or something that has an influence on other people or thingsbad/good/positive etc influence (on somebody) Gayle’s mother said I was a bad influence on her daughter. For centuries the country remained untouched by outside influences.3 → under the influence (of alcohol/drink/drugs etc)COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbshave an influence on somebody/somethingHis works have had an influence on many modern writers.exert an influence formal (=have an influence)Technology exerts a powerful influence over our lives.use your influenceShe wasn’t afraid to use her influence to get what she wanted.exercise/wield influence formal (=use it)The Federal Reserve exercises influence on the economy by setting short-term interest rates.come/fall under the influence of somebody/something (=be influenced by someone or something)They had come under the influence of a religious sect.extend your influence (=make your influence larger)Syria had the opportunity to extend its influence in the region.adjectivesa good/positive influenceTelevision can have a positive influence on young people.a bad/negative influenceHe thought her friends were a bad influence.a big/great influence The goalkeeper’s injury had a big influence on the match.an important/significant/major influenceParents have an important influence on children's development.He was a major influence on my musical tastes.considerable influenceWell-organized pressure groups can exert considerable influence on the government.a strong/powerful influenceThe press can have a powerful influence on the way people vote.a deep/profound influenceHis writings had a profound influence on the Romantic poets.a growing influenceMany people are worried about the growing influence of these websites.a lasting influence (=continuing for a long time)His travels in Africa had a lasting influence on his work.a direct/indirect influenceThe Cubist painters had a direct influence on his work.The federal government has an indirect influence on investment through its control of bank credits.a calming/soothing influenceThe music seemed to have a calming influence.somebody’s personal influenceFrank used his personal influence to get his son a job at the newspaper.political/cultural/economic influenceFrench political influence began to dominate the country.outside/external influence (=happening from outside a country or a situation)They must make their own decisions, free from external influence.The US remains the biggest outside influence on the country.undue influence (=too much influence)He felt that the United States wielded undue influence in Europe.
Examples from the Corpus
influence• Using her influence with her husband, Evita Peron won women the right to vote.• Lay influence was under threat and the laity's rights as patrons were being questioned.• The banks had too much influence over government policy.• It is particularly more comfortable when I know that the donors will not ask for my votes and my influence.• The Catholic Church has always had a lot of influence in Polish politics.• We all have positions of influence.• It would be quite wrong to suggest that the only influence on mate choice is relative familiarity.• To fix: Using clout or influence to produce a favorable result, usually from an entity of government.• The book is about the influence of feminist ideas on American society.• The authorities were worried about the influence of Western films and TV programmes.• Inpart they were motivated by concern to shore up the influence of their class over provincial affairs.influence on/over• Further deletions up to nucleotide -114 did not have any further influence on activity.• The decreasing leverage of the state allowed capital greater influence over production, credit and ideology.• Venice, therefore, had an imperative need to extend its influence over the Dalmatian coastal cities.• But their ideas had only limited influence on the way games were played and understood by the mass of manual workers.• They hoped that the very talk of a general strike would act as a restraining influence on militarism.• The study of the author's influence on the oral tradition is called redaction criticism.• By participating at an early stage, we hoped to have some influence on the national agenda.• We turn now to influences on attitudes and votes.bad/good/positive etc influence (on somebody)• John could hardly have found a better influence.• Her brief encounter with the Sun had evidently had a bad influence on her.• He was a bad influence without doing anything.• They were a bad influence, Paquita said: a decadent life and no ambition.• Even within the ultra-clean pages of Smash Hits, there are a number of bad influences featured every fortnight.• She fretted about all the bad influences, all the temptations to idleness which surrounded her sons.• Not the least of the positive influences is the explosive growth in the use of computers and information-processing technology.• People are afraid of the horror genre as a whole and parents are afraid their children might be exposed to bad influences. influenceinfluence2 ●●● S3 W2 verb [transitive] EFFECT/INFLUENCEto affect the way someone or something develops, behaves, thinks etc without directly forcing or ordering them Marx was strongly influenced by the historian Niebuhr.influence a decision/outcome/choice etc Several factors are likely to influence this decision.influence somebody to do something What influenced you to take up nursing?► see thesaurus at persuade→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
influence• Nature alone can not influence an unschooled yokel.• I hope you weren't influenced by anything that your brother said.• Some of the romantic painters were very much influenced by Goya's work.• Redon was particularly influenced by his botanist friend Armand Clavaud who used the microscope in studies of minute plant forms.• The prisoner claims he was influenced by his older friends to carry out the crime.• Judges should not be influenced by political motives.• The jury's verdict was clearly influenced by their sympathy for the defendant.• Do TV programs influence children's behaviour?• This was confirmed in one of the survey questions, which identified 10 factors influencing decisions on where to place contracts.• The type of research, including its clinical component, may well influence future career choice and opportunity.• Their potential to influence growth, through either expansion or diversification, is investigated.• The year in which an individual served also undoubtedly influenced his impressions of the land surrounding him.• Recent occurrence appears to have influenced the other choices.• That is, they perceive government as influencing their lives.• How much does TV advertising really influence what people buy?• Don't let him influence you - make up your own mind.• Don't let me influence your decision.strongly influenced• This effect can be strongly influenced by diet.• Father spoke Cantonese because Taoping Academy, although in the north, had been strongly influenced by Kwangtung men.• There tactics were strongly influenced by reliance on line formation and fire-power, as against attack at close quarters.• The way they reacted to the workplace was strongly influenced by their own personal situation.• Rather, it seems voters were strongly influenced by their perception of the competence of their own local authority.• The young were free flying, and the future status of this species in Sussex will be strongly influenced by this population.• Our point is that not all liturgical development in this period was strictly monastic, yet monastic ideals strongly influenced cathedral life.• Positive feedback from peers also strongly influenced the managers' development.From Longman Business Dictionaryinfluencein‧flu‧ence1 /ˈɪnfluəns/ noun [countable, uncountable] power to have an effect on the way something happens or the way someone does somethingThe car magazines have been gaining influence in recent years.The banks’ directors say they have little influence over their presidents’ actions. → see also undue influenceinfluenceinfluence2 verb [transitive] to have an effect on the way something happens or the way someone does somethingChildren are heavily influenced by advertising.influence what/where/ how etcThe number of training centres will influence what training is available and who will receive it.→ See Verb tableOrigin influence1 (1300-1400) French Medieval Latin influentia, from Latin fluere “to flow” 