influential
Explication de influential à ton niveau :
An influential person is special. When they speak, many people listen. If you are influential, you can help change things. Think of a teacher who helps you learn or a friend who helps you be good.
You use influential to describe a person who is important. They have power over other people's choices. For example, a famous athlete can be influential because kids want to be like them.
When we say someone is influential, we mean they have a strong effect on others. They might be a leader in their community or a famous writer. Their ideas change how people think about the world.
The term influential is often used in business or politics. It describes someone with the authority to sway decisions. It is a more formal way of saying someone is 'powerful' or 'persuasive' in their field.
In advanced contexts, influential describes intellectual or cultural impact. It is often used to analyze history or literature, such as 'The most influential novel of the century.' It implies a lasting legacy rather than just temporary fame.
At the C2 level, we consider the etymological roots of influential. It denotes a gravitational pull on social or intellectual discourse. It implies a subtle but profound capacity to mold the zeitgeist, shifting paradigms through sheer force of personality or brilliance.
influential en 30 secondes
- Influential means having the power to change things.
- It is a formal adjective.
- It comes from the Latin for 'inflowing'.
- Use it to describe leaders, teachers, or ideas.
When we call someone influential, we aren't just saying they are popular; we are saying they have weight. Think of them as a person whose voice carries extra momentum in a room.
Being influential means your actions or words have a ripple effect. Whether it is a teacher who changed your career path or a celebrity who started a new fashion trend, these people move the needle in society.
The word influential traces back to the Latin word influentia, which meant 'inflowing.' In the Middle Ages, people believed that stars and planets sent out invisible 'fluids' that flowed into people and affected their destiny.
Over time, the word moved away from astrology and into the world of human power. By the 17th century, it was used to describe how one person's character or authority 'flows' into another person, changing their mind or behavior.
You will hear this word often in professional and academic settings. It is a high-register word, meaning it sounds a bit more sophisticated than just saying 'important' or 'famous.'
We often pair it with nouns like figure, leader, or factor. For example, 'She is an influential figure in the tech industry.' It is perfect for describing someone who holds sway over a specific group or field.
While 'influential' is a direct adjective, we use idioms to describe the act of being influential. To carry weight means your opinion matters. To move the needle means to make a noticeable difference.
Other expressions include a force to be reckoned with, a mover and shaker, the power behind the throne, and to leave a mark. All these describe the same power to influence.
This is a four-syllable adjective: in-flu-EN-tial. The stress falls on the third syllable. It is almost always used before a noun (an influential person) or after a linking verb (He is very influential).
In British and American English, the pronunciation is quite similar, though the 't' sound can sometimes become a soft 'sh' sound in rapid speech. It rhymes with words like essential, potential, and sequential.
Le savais-tu ?
People used to think the stars 'flowed' into us to change our luck!
Guide de prononciation
Clear 'in' sound, stress on 'en'.
Similar to UK, slightly flatter 'a' sound.
Erreurs fréquentes
- Misplacing the stress on the first syllable
- Dropping the 't' sound
- Adding extra syllables
Rime avec
Niveau de difficulté
Commonly found in news.
Great for professional writing.
Sounds smart in conversation.
Easy to hear.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Grammaire à connaître
Adjective placement
An influential man.
Preposition usage
Influential in/on.
Superlative forms
The most influential.
Exemples par niveau
The teacher is influential.
teacher = person who teaches
Subject + verb + adjective
She is an influential leader.
He has an influential job.
They are influential people.
The book was very influential.
My dad is influential at work.
The artist is quite influential.
The coach is very influential.
She is an influential voice.
He is one of the most influential figures in politics.
The report had an influential impact on the board.
She comes from an influential family.
His work was influential in the field of science.
The movement was led by influential activists.
They are an influential group of thinkers.
The newspaper is an influential media outlet.
He is an influential member of the club.
The senator is an influential voice in the senate.
Social media has become an influential tool for change.
She is an influential advocate for human rights.
The study was influential in changing public policy.
He holds an influential position in the company.
The film was an influential piece of cinema.
They are influential players in the global market.
Her ideas were highly influential in the debate.
His philosophy was deeply influential on modern thought.
The architect was an influential figure in urban design.
The conference brought together many influential scholars.
She exerted an influential pressure on the committee.
The artist's style was influential for a generation.
The book remains an influential text in sociology.
He played an influential role in the peace talks.
The brand is an influential force in fashion.
The treatise was an influential catalyst for the revolution.
He was an influential arbiter of public taste.
Her work is considered an influential cornerstone of the genre.
The school of thought was highly influential throughout Europe.
He was an influential architect of the new policy.
The journal is an influential organ of the scientific community.
The diplomat was an influential mediator in the conflict.
The movement had an influential effect on cultural norms.
Collocations courantes
Expressions idiomatiques
"carry weight"
to have influence or importance
His opinion carries a lot of weight here.
neutral"move the needle"
to make a noticeable difference
We need ideas that actually move the needle.
casual"a force to be reckoned with"
someone very powerful or influential
She is a force to be reckoned with in court.
neutral"pull strings"
to use influence to get something done
He pulled some strings to get me the job.
casual"a big fish"
an important person in a specific area
He is a big fish in a small pond.
casualFacile à confondre
Both describe important people.
Famous means known; influential means having effect.
A celebrity is famous; a mentor is influential.
Both imply strength.
Powerful is broader; influential is about changing minds.
A king is powerful; a philosopher is influential.
Both describe effects.
Impactful is often used for objects/events.
An impactful speech.
Both relate to changing minds.
Persuasive is a skill; influential is a status.
She is a persuasive salesperson.
Structures de phrases
He is an influential [noun].
He is an influential teacher.
The [noun] was influential in [field].
The book was influential in science.
She is highly influential among [group].
She is highly influential among students.
His ideas were influential to [person].
His ideas were influential to me.
It is an influential factor in [situation].
It is an influential factor in the deal.
Famille de mots
Noms
Verbes
Adjectifs
Apparenté
Comment l'utiliser
7
Échelle de formalité
Astuces
Memory Palace
Native Speakers
Cultural Insight
Grammar Shortcut
Say It Right
Don't Make This Mistake
Did You Know?
Study Smart
Register
Adverb Form
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
IN-FLU-EN-tial: It flows IN to you.
Association visuelle
A river flowing into a city, representing power spreading.
Word Web
Défi
Identify one influential person in your life today.
Origine du mot
Latin
Sens originel : Inflowing (astrological)
Contexte culturel
None, generally a positive term.
Commonly used in business and political journalism.
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
At work
- influential leader
- influential position
- influential decision
In school
- influential teacher
- influential study
- influential theory
In politics
- influential figure
- influential voice
- influential lobby
In media
- influential film
- influential article
- influential blogger
Amorces de conversation
"Who is the most influential person you know?"
"Do you think social media makes people more influential?"
"What makes a person influential in your opinion?"
"Can a book be influential?"
"Is it better to be famous or influential?"
Sujets d'écriture
Describe a teacher who was influential in your life.
Write about a historical figure who changed the world.
How can you become more influential in your career?
Why do some people have more influence than others?
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsTeste-toi
She is an ___ person.
Influential describes her power.
What does influential mean?
Influential means having power to change things.
An influential person has no effect on others.
They have a big effect.
Word
Signification
Matching synonyms and antonyms.
Subject + verb + adverb + adjective.
Score : /5
Summary
An influential person is someone whose ideas or actions create a ripple effect in the world around them.
- Influential means having the power to change things.
- It is a formal adjective.
- It comes from the Latin for 'inflowing'.
- Use it to describe leaders, teachers, or ideas.
Memory Palace
Native Speakers
Cultural Insight
Grammar Shortcut
Exemple
She is an influential figure in politics.
Contenu associé
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