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
Cervantes was cited Monday by Sacramento police on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs as she was being treated at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center’s emergency room.
—
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025
After a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the initial murder trial last year, she is being retried on charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
Ortega-Anguiano, now 43, was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and doing nearly 95 mph in November 2021 when, according to court records, his Volkswagen smashed into 19-year-olds Anya Varfolomeev and Nikolay Osokin, who were both killed when their Honda burst into flames.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
The statement added that he was specifically charged with disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol in public and possession of cocaine.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 17 Apr. 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.
Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025
After a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the initial murder trial last year, she is being retried on charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
Ortega-Anguiano, now 43, was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and doing nearly 95 mph in November 2021 when, according to court records, his Volkswagen smashed into 19-year-olds Anya Varfolomeev and Nikolay Osokin, who were both killed when their Honda burst into flames.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
The statement added that he was specifically charged with disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol in public and possession of cocaine.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 17 Apr. 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 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share