influence definition

1. a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
• examples: used her parents' influence to get the job
2. causing something without any direct or apparent effort
3. a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do
• examples: her wishes had a great influence on his thinking
4. the effect of one thing (or person) on another
• examples: the influence of mechanical action
5. one having power to influence another
• examples: she was the most important influence in my life
• examples: he was a bad influence on the children
6. have and exert influence or effect
• examples: The artist's work influenced the young painter
• examples: She worked on her friends to support the political candidate