What does influenced mean?
Influenced means affected or shaped by a person, event, experience, belief, or other factor. It is especially common when discussing the development of someone's character, opinions, behaviour, work, or decisions. The expression “influenced by” identifies the source of that effect, as in “The policy was influenced by public opinion.” Influenced can function as an adjective or as the past tense and past participle of the verb influence. It is usually neutral, although “influenced” may suggest that someone’s judgement has been affected, sometimes subtly or improperly, depending on context. The phrase “be influenced by” is common, while stronger forms such as “heavily influenced” and “strongly influenced” indicate a substantial effect. Unlike “effected,” which means brought about or implemented, “influenced” focuses on the shaping or affecting of a person or thing rather than the bringing about of an action.
Affected or shaped by a person, event, experience, or other factor.
"The young artist was strongly influenced by the landscapes around her home."
Commonly used with “by” and with intensifiers such as “deeply,” “greatly,” “heavily,” and “strongly.”
The past tense and past participle of influence.
"Several factors influenced the timing of the project's launch."
The active form “influences” describes a continuing or general relationship; “influenced” refers to a completed or completed-sequence action.
The word ultimately comes from Latin influere, meaning “to flow in,” a fitting image for an influence that enters and reshapes a person's mind.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does influenced come from?
The word comes from the Latin verb influere, formed from in- and fluere, both meaning “in” and “to flow,” and originally referring to water flowing in. English borrowed the related noun influence in the 16th century, with the sense of an inward movement or action before it developed into the modern meanings of power or effect upon behaviour and thought. The verb influence followed through the influence of the Latin stem, and influenced is its conventional past tense and past participle. Cognates such as fluent, affluent, and flux ultimately trace to the same Latin root fluere.
Related word forms
How influenced is actually used
This is a neutral and widely used form. In the adjectival use, it is often paired with “by,” while the verb form can occur without a stated agent, as in “The design was influenced by local traditions.”
Easily confused with influenced
Influenced means affected or shaped by a person, experience, or factor, whereas effected means brought about or implemented.
Influenced describes having one's thoughts or behaviour shaped by something, whereas implicated means involved in or connected to an activity or situation.