n. 1 power, pressure, weight, sway, impact, force, effect, leverage, potency; hold, control, mastery, ascendancy, Colloq pull, clout Would you use your influence to see if you can get me a job? The boy is under the influence of his tutor 2 connections, favour, favouritism, Colloq pull He got his position through influence, not merit
v. 3 affect, move, change, modify, alter, bias, sway, persuade, induce, work on, impress (upon), play or act upon or on, incline; bring pressure to bear on or upon, move, motivate, manipulate, Brit pressurize, US pressure, Colloq pull strings or US also wires She was able to influence the minister to drop the scheme