In the USA, people often use special phrases to talk about how someone can affect the thoughts or actions of others. These phrases, called idioms, make conversations more colorful and easy to understand. They are used in schools, at work, in politics, and even in sports. Knowing them can help you understand what others mean and make your own speech sound more natural.
Idioms about influence describe ways people can guide, inspire, or even pressure others. Some of them are positive, like motivating a friend to try harder. Others can be about negative influence, such as persuading someone to make a poor choice. In this article, we will explore some of the most common idioms Americans use when talking about influence, what they mean, and how you can use them in everyday life.
Idioms About Influence
1. Pull Strings
Meaning: To use personal connections to get something done.
Example Sentence:
- His uncle pulled strings to get him that summer internship.
- She pulled strings so her friend could get concert tickets.
Other ways to say: Use connections, call in favors
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from the idea of controlling a puppet by pulling its strings.
Usage: Often used when someone gets help from an influential person.
2. Call the Shots
Meaning: To be the one making important decisions.
Example Sentence:
- In this company, the CEO calls the shots.
- Mom calls the shots when it comes to family vacations.
Other ways to say: Be in charge, make the rules
Fun Fact/Origin: Originally from military shooting commands.
Usage: Used when someone is clearly in control.
3. Twist Someone’s Arm
Meaning: To convince someone to do something they didn’t plan to do.
Example Sentence:
- He didn’t want to join, but I twisted his arm.
- She twisted my arm into helping with the bake sale.
Other ways to say: Persuade, pressure
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to using force to make someone agree, but now used in a friendly sense.
Usage: Common when someone is convinced after saying no at first.
4. Lead by Example
Meaning: To show others how to act by doing it yourself.
Example Sentence:
- The coach leads by example, working harder than anyone else.
- Good teachers lead by example in the classroom.
Other ways to say: Set the standard, show the way
Fun Fact/Origin: Popular in leadership training in the USA.
Usage: Often used in sports, school, and workplaces.
5. Have Someone’s Ear
Meaning: To have someone’s attention and trust.
Example Sentence:
- She has the mayor’s ear on local issues.
- My teacher has the principal’s ear when it comes to new programs.
Other ways to say: Be listened to, be trusted
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from standing close enough to speak privately to someone.
Usage: Often used for people who can influence leaders.
6. Hold Sway
Meaning: To have power or influence over people.
Example Sentence:
- The coach holds sway over the whole team.
- Social media influencers hold sway with their followers.
Other ways to say: Control, have influence
Fun Fact/Origin: “Sway” means to move something from side to side, like controlling it.
Usage: Common in politics and leadership.
7. Plant the Seed
Meaning: To introduce an idea that may grow later.
Example Sentence:
- I planted the seed about taking a trip next summer.
- The teacher planted the seed for a science fair project.
Other ways to say: Suggest, spark an idea
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from gardening—seeds need time to grow.
Usage: Used when ideas are suggested gently.
8. In Someone’s Pocket
Meaning: To have someone under your control or influence.
Example Sentence:
- The mayor is in the businessman’s pocket.
- Some think the referee was in the coach’s pocket.
Other ways to say: Controlled by, influenced by
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests someone is so close, they fit in your pocket.
Usage: Often negative, about unfair influence.
9. Wrap Someone Around Your Finger
Meaning: To have someone completely under your influence.
Example Sentence:
- She has her little brother wrapped around her finger.
- He’s wrapped around his girlfriend’s finger.
Other ways to say: Control easily, charm into obedience
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the ease of wrapping a thread around a finger.
Usage: Often about personal relationships.
10. Play Second Fiddle
Meaning: To be in a less important position than someone else.
Example Sentence:
- He played second fiddle to the star player.
- I’m tired of playing second fiddle at work.
Other ways to say: Take a back seat, be less important
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from orchestras where the second fiddle plays a supporting role.
Usage: Often about not being the main decision-maker.
11. Have the Upper Hand
Meaning: To have control or an advantage in a situation.
Example Sentence:
- She had the upper hand during the debate.
- The home team has the upper hand in this game.
Other ways to say: Be in control, hold the advantage
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wrestling, where having your hand above gives leverage.
Usage: Common in sports, business, and arguments.
12. Set the Tone
Meaning: To create the mood or style for something.
Example Sentence:
- The teacher set the tone for the year with her rules.
- His speech set the tone for the meeting.
Other ways to say: Establish the mood, shape the atmosphere
Fun Fact/Origin: Originally used in music to describe starting a piece with a certain style.
Usage: Often used in leadership or public speaking.
13. Steer the Ship
Meaning: To guide or lead a project, group, or activity.
Example Sentence:
- The principal steers the ship at our school.
- She steered the ship during the difficult project.
Other ways to say: Guide, lead the way
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from steering a real ship to its destination.
Usage: Common for leaders in charge of direction.
14. Push Someone’s Buttons
Meaning: To do something that causes a strong emotional reaction.
Example Sentence:
- He knows how to push the teacher’s buttons.
- My sister pushes my buttons when she borrows my stuff.
Other ways to say: Provoke, irritate
Fun Fact/Origin: Likens people’s emotions to machines activated by buttons.
Usage: Often about emotional influence.
15. Throw Your Weight Around
Meaning: To use power or influence aggressively.
Example Sentence:
- The manager throws his weight around with the staff.
- Don’t throw your weight around just because you’re older.
Other ways to say: Boss people around, act domineering
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to a large person using their weight to get their way.
Usage: Usually negative, about misuse of power.
16. Turn the Tables
Meaning: To reverse a situation to your advantage.
Example Sentence:
- The underdog team turned the tables in the second half.
- She turned the tables on her critics.
Other ways to say: Gain the advantage, reverse the situation
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from table games where flipping the position changes the game.
Usage: Often about surprising a stronger opponent.
17. Carry Weight
Meaning: To have influence or importance.
Example Sentence:
- His opinion carries weight with the board.
- A letter from the mayor carries weight in the community.
Other ways to say: Be important, be influential
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests something heavy is more significant.
Usage: Common in politics and decision-making.
18. Sway Someone
Meaning: To change someone’s opinion or decision.
Example Sentence:
- The ad swayed me to try the product.
- She swayed the group to choose her idea.
Other ways to say: Influence, persuade
Fun Fact/Origin: “Sway” originally meant to cause movement from side to side.
Usage: Common in debates and sales.
19. Win Over
Meaning: To gain someone’s support or trust.
Example Sentence:
- The new coach quickly won over the team.
- She won over her classmates with kindness.
Other ways to say: Gain trust, gain support
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests a victory in earning someone’s approval.
Usage: Often in personal and political situations.
20. Call in a Favor
Meaning: To ask someone for help because you have helped them before.
Example Sentence:
- I called in a favor to get backstage passes.
- He called in a favor from an old friend.
Other ways to say: Ask for help, cash in on goodwill
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of “owing” someone and asking for payback.
Usage: Used when using past help to get current help.
21. Pull the Strings of Power
Meaning: To control events or people from behind the scenes.
Example Sentence:
- He pulls the strings of power in that company.
- Some think lobbyists pull the strings of government.
Other ways to say: Control from behind, manipulate
Fun Fact/Origin: Related to puppetry and hidden control.
Usage: Often about secret influence.
22. Shape Opinions
Meaning: To influence how people think about something.
Example Sentence:
- The media shapes opinions on important issues.
- Teachers shape opinions through what they teach.
Other ways to say: Influence thoughts, guide beliefs
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “shape” suggests molding something like clay.
Usage: Common in education and politics.
23. Have Clout
Meaning: To have strong influence or power.
Example Sentence:
- He has clout in the music industry.
- That senator has clout in Washington.
Other ways to say: Have power, have pull
Fun Fact/Origin: “Clout” once meant a heavy blow—now it means having power.
Usage: Often about someone with respect and authority.
24. Turn Heads
Meaning: To get people’s attention in a noticeable way.
Example Sentence:
- Her speech turned heads at the meeting.
- The new ad campaign is turning heads online.
Other ways to say: Attract attention, make people notice
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests people physically turning to look.
Usage: Often positive, about influence through attention.
25. Get Under Someone’s Skin
Meaning: To bother or influence someone emotionally.
Example Sentence:
- His teasing gets under my skin.
- She got under the coach’s skin with her complaints.
Other ways to say: Irritate, emotionally affect
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests something small but irritating, like a splinter.
Usage: Used for both positive and negative emotional influence.
26. Cast a Long Shadow
Meaning: To have lasting influence or impact.
Example Sentence:
- His leadership casts a long shadow over the company.
- The event cast a long shadow on the community.
Other ways to say: Leave a mark, have lasting influence
Fun Fact/Origin: Shadows can be long when light is low—symbolizing far-reaching effects.
Usage: Common in history and personal legacies.
27. Bring Someone Around
Meaning: To change someone’s mind.
Example Sentence:
- I brought him around to my side of the argument.
- The teacher brought the class around to her way of thinking.
Other ways to say: Persuade, convince
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests leading someone in a circle until they face your direction.
Usage: Often used in debates.
28. Be a Kingmaker
Meaning: To have the power to decide who gets leadership.
Example Sentence:
- The party leader is a kingmaker in elections.
- He became a kingmaker by backing winning candidates.
Other ways to say: Power broker, influencer
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from politics, where someone helps choose the ruler.
Usage: Common in politics and business leadership.
29. Sway the Crowd
Meaning: To influence a large group of people.
Example Sentence:
- The speaker swayed the crowd with her passion.
- Music can sway the crowd’s emotions.
Other ways to say: Move the audience, inspire people
Fun Fact/Origin: Uses “sway” in the sense of causing movement in thought or feeling.
Usage: Used in speeches, rallies, and performances.
30. Set the Agenda
Meaning: To decide what will be discussed or acted on.
Example Sentence:
- The committee chair sets the agenda for the meeting.
- The news often sets the agenda for public debate.
Other ways to say: Decide the plan, determine priorities
Fun Fact/Origin: “Agenda” comes from Latin meaning “things to be done.”
Usage: Common in meetings and politics.
31. Light a Fire Under Someone
Meaning: To motivate someone to act quickly.
Example Sentence:
- The coach lit a fire under the players before the game.
- That deadline lit a fire under the whole team.
Other ways to say: Motivate, push into action
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests the urgency of having a fire near you.
Usage: Common in work and sports.
32. Tip the Scales
Meaning: To influence the outcome of something.
Example Sentence:
- His vote tipped the scales in favor of the new law.
- The last-minute goal tipped the scales for the home team.
Other ways to say: Decide the result, swing the balance
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from weighing objects—one small weight can change the balance.
Usage: Often used in competitions or close decisions.
33. Play King of the Hill
Meaning: To act as if you’re the most powerful and keep others from challenging you.
Example Sentence:
- The senior manager plays king of the hill at the office.
- He’s been playing king of the hill since winning the championship.
Other ways to say: Dominate, stay on top
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a children’s game where the goal is to stay at the top of a hill.
Usage: Often about maintaining power.
Quiz: Idioms About Influence
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Only one answer is correct.
Question Key
1. If someone “pulls strings,” what are they doing?
A) They are playing with a puppet.
B) They are using connections to get something done.
C) They are making a mess.
2. When a boss “calls the shots,” it means:
A) They decide what happens.
B) They are taking photographs.
C) They are making phone calls.
3. If you “twist someone’s arm,” what happens?
A) You make them agree to something.
B) You play a game with them.
C) You argue with them.
4. If a person “plants the seed,” what are they doing?
A) Starting a garden.
B) Suggesting an idea for later.
C) Ending a project.
5. To “wrap someone around your finger” means:
A) You are tying a ribbon.
B) You control them easily.
C) You are giving them a ring.
6. When a player “plays second fiddle,” they:
A) Are the main star.
B) Take a less important role.
C) Play an instrument in a band.
7. To “turn the tables” means:
A) Move furniture around.
B) Reverse a situation to your advantage.
C) Start a new project.
8. If a leader “holds sway,” they:
A) Dance with their team.
B) Have influence over people.
C) Stay silent in meetings.
9. “Tip the scales” means:
A) To decide the result of something.
B) To break a weighing machine.
C) To measure food.
10. If a coach “lights a fire under someone,” they:
A) Encourage them to move faster.
B) Make them cook a meal.
C) Start a campfire.
11. A person who is a “kingmaker” is someone who:
A) Decides who will take a leadership position.
B) Builds toy castles.
C) Wins every competition.
12. “Throwing your weight around” means:
A) Working out at the gym.
B) Using power in a pushy way.
C) Carrying heavy boxes.
Answer Key
- B) They are using connections to get something done.
- A) They decide what happens.
- A) You make them agree to something.
- B) Suggesting an idea for later.
- B) You control them easily.
- B) Take a less important role.
- B) Reverse a situation to your advantage.
- B) Have influence over people.
- A) To decide the result of something.
- A) Encourage them to move faster.
- A) Decides who will take a leadership position.
- B) Using power in a pushy way.
Wrapping Up
Idioms about influence are a big part of American English. They help explain how people affect others’ actions, decisions, and feelings. Some of these idioms show positive influence, like inspiring a team. Others show power used in a pushy way.
By learning these expressions, you can better understand conversations in the USA and express your thoughts more clearly. Whether in school, at work, or with friends, knowing how to use these idioms can give your communication an extra edge.
