under the influence

adverb

While intoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus, especially, drunk.

“He was arrested for driving under the influence.”

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Meanings

adverbunder the influence (comparative more under the influence, superlative most under the influence)

comparative more under the influence · superlative most under the influence

  1. idiomaticWhile intoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus, especially, drunk.

    He was arrested for driving under the influence.

    1 more example

    He was fired for showing up under the influence.

adjectiveunder the influence (comparative more under the influence, superlative most under the influence)

comparative more under the influence · superlative most under the influence

  1. idiomaticIntoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus, especially, drunk.

    He was arrested for driving while under the influence.

    1 more example

    He was fired for showing up when he was under the influence.

Origin

Elliptical, since the agent (any intoxicating substance) is implicit because it is understood in context.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَحْتَ اَلتَّأْثِير
  • تَحْتَ اَلتَّأْثِير (taḥta t-taʔṯīr)intoxicated
Catalan sota els efectes de l'alcohol, sota la influència de l'alcohol
  • sota els efectes de l'alcoholintoxicated
  • sota la influència de l'alcoholintoxicated
Dutch onder invloed
  • onder invloedintoxicated
Finnish päihtyneenä
  • päihtyneenäintoxicated
German unter Einfluss von Alkohol, unter dem Einfluss von Alkohol
  • unter Einfluss von Alkoholintoxicated
  • unter dem Einfluss von Alkoholintoxicated
Greek υπό την επήρεια του αλκοόλ, υπό την επήρεια
  • υπό την επήρεια του αλκοόλ (ypó tin epíreia tou alkoól)intoxicated
  • υπό την επήρεια (ypó tin epíreia)intoxicated
Hungarian alkoholos, kábítószeres
  • alkoholosintoxicated
  • kábítószeresintoxicated
  • gyógyszeres befolyásoltság alattintoxicated
  • állapotábanintoxicated
Italian in stato di ebbrezza
  • in stato di ebbrezzaintoxicated
Polish na podwójnym gazie, pod wpływem
  • na podwójnym gazieintoxicated
  • pod wpływemintoxicated
Portuguese sob o efeito do álcool, sob a influência do álcool
  • sob o efeito do álcoolintoxicated
  • sob a influência do álcoolintoxicated
Russian под га́зом, под му́хой
  • под га́зом (pod gázom)intoxicated
  • под му́хой (pod múxoj)intoxicated
  • подшофе́ (podšofɛ́)intoxicated
Scottish Gaelic fo bhuaidh na dighe
  • fo bhuaidh na digheintoxicated
Spanish bajo los efectos, bajo los efectos
  • bajo los efectoswhile intoxicated
  • bajo los efectosintoxicated
  • bajo la influenciaintoxicated
Swedish påverkad
  • påverkadintoxicated
Cite this entry
APA

under the influence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/under%20the%20influence

MLA

“under the influence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/under%20the%20influence. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “under the influence,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/under%20the%20influence.

Source: under the influence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.