under the influence of
idiom
: being affected by
She was under the influence of drugs.
The satellite came under the influence of the planet's gravitational pull.
under the influence of a foreign government
Examples of under the influence of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During a home visit, an investigator noticed the mother and grandmother appeared to be under the influence of a substance, and a knife and drugs were within reach of the toddlers, the affidavit said.
—
Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
The 56-year-old Watertown Democrat admitted that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove their case charging him with operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor and leaving the scene of property damage.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 17 July 2025
She was convicted of operating under the influence of liquor and sentenced to one year of probation.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Read was found guilty of the lesser charge of operating under the influence of alcohol or liquor (OUI) and was sentenced after the verdict to one year of probation.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for under the influence of
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
The 56-year-old Watertown Democrat admitted that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove their case charging him with operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor and leaving the scene of property damage.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 17 July 2025
She was convicted of operating under the influence of liquor and sentenced to one year of probation.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Read was found guilty of the lesser charge of operating under the influence of alcohol or liquor (OUI) and was sentenced after the verdict to one year of probation.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for under the influence of
Cite this Entry
“Under the influence of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20the%20influence%20of. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share