sphere of influence

English

Etymology

First attested in 1885. In reference to Anglo-German colonial rivalry in Africa.

Noun

sphere of influence (plural spheres of influence)

  1. (politics) A spatial region over which a state has a level of cultural, economic, military or political exclusivity.
    • 2022 February 23, Madeleine Albright, “Putin Is Making a Historic Mistake”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:
      […] 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.
  2. (figurative, by extension) A concept division over which a person, organization, etc. exerts control.

Translations

References
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