Meanings
plural spheres of influence
- governmentA spatial region over which a state has a level of cultural, economic, military or political exclusivity.
Under the Monroe Doctrine, the United States considered Central and South America within its sphere of influence, therefore justifying American interference with these countries' domestic politics.
1 more example
[…]it does not mean that the major powers have a right to chop the globe into spheres of influence as colonial empires did centuries ago.
2022 February 23, Madeleine Albright, “Putin Is Making a Historic Mistake”, in The New York Times, →ISSN - broadlyfigurativelyA concept division over which a person, organization, etc. exerts control.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe geographical area in which one nation is very influential
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
In reference to Anglo-German colonial rivalry in Africa. First use appears c. 1885.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مِنْطَقَةُ نُفُوذٍ
- مِنْطَقَةُ نُفُوذٍ (minṭaqatu nufūḏin)area influenced by something
Bulgarian сфе́ра на влия́ние
- сфе́ра на влия́ние (sféra na vlijánie)area influenced by something
Chinese Mandarin 勢力範圍 /势力范围
- 勢力範圍 /势力范围 (shìli fànwéi)area influenced by something
Czech sféra vlivu
- sféra vlivuarea influenced by something
Danish indflydelsessfære
- indflydelsessfærearea influenced by something
Dutch invloedssfeer, jurisdictie
- invloedssfeerarea influenced by something
- jurisdictiearea influenced by something
Estonian mõjupiirkond
- mõjupiirkondarea influenced by something
Finnish vaikutuspiiri
- vaikutuspiiriarea influenced by something
French sphère d'influence
- sphère d'influencearea influenced by something
German Einflussbereich, Einflussphäre
- Einflussbereicharea influenced by something
- Einflussphärearea influenced by something
Greek σφαίρα επιρροής
- σφαίρα επιρροής (sfaíra epirroḯs)area influenced by something
Hindi प्रभाव क्षेत्र
- प्रभाव क्षेत्र (prabhāv kṣetra)area influenced by something
Icelandic valdsvið
- valdsviðarea influenced by something
Italian sfera di influenza
- sfera di influenzaarea influenced by something
Japanese 勢力圏
- 勢力圏 (seiryokuken)area influenced by something
Korean 세력권, 세력 범위
- 세력권 (seryeokgwon)area influenced by something
- 세력 범위 (seryeok beomwi)area influenced by something
Norwegian Bokmål innflytelsessfære
- innflytelsessfærearea influenced by something
Polish strefa wpływów
- strefa wpływówarea influenced by something
Portuguese esfera de influência
- esfera de influênciaarea influenced by something
Romanian sferă de influență
- sferă de influențăarea influenced by something
Russian сфе́ра влия́ния
- сфе́ра влия́ния (sféra vlijánija)area influenced by something
Slovak sféra vplyvu
- sféra vplyvuarea influenced by something
Spanish esfera de influencia
- esfera de influenciaarea influenced by something
Swedish intressesfär, inflytelsesfär
- intressesfärarea influenced by something
- inflytelsesfärarea influenced by something
Thai เขตอิทธิพล
- เขตอิทธิพล (kèet-ìt-tí-pon)area influenced by something
Turkish etki alanı
- etki alanıarea influenced by something
Ukrainian сфе́ра впли́ву
- сфе́ра впли́ву (sféra vplývu)area influenced by something
Vietnamese phạm vi ảnh hưởng
- phạm vi ảnh hưởngarea influenced by something
Cite this entry
sphere of influence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphere%20of%20influence
“sphere of influence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphere%20of%20influence. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sphere of influence,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphere%20of%20influence.
Source: sphere of influence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.