Sphere Of Influence Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms sphere of influence American

noun

plural

spheres of influence

1. any area in which one nation wields dominant power over another or others.

sphere of influence British

noun

1. a region of the world in which one state is dominant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sphere of influence

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They said the world appeared to be splitting into spheres of influence, forcing business leaders to think about government relations—and risks to their operations—in an entirely new, transactional way.

From The Wall Street Journal

And the Southeastern Conference has expanded its sphere of influence to include Austin, Texas, and Norman, Okla.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Monroe Doctrine dates back to the U.S. president in 1823 who articulated his opposition to further European colonization of Latin America which he asserted would henceforth be a U.S. sphere of influence.

From MarketWatch

Former US President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Liberia's independence in 1862 but the country retained a lot of US heritage and it remained in the American "sphere of influence" during the colonial period.

From BBC

Its challenge appears to be to stay united, finally make good on funding its own defence, and avoid being drawn into the "sphere of influence" of any of the big powers.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.