has little influence

USAGE SUMMARY

"has little influence" is an acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a person, group, or event that has had minimal effect on a particular situation. For example, "The new policy has had little influence on the overall rate of inflation."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Lasorda has little influence there or none".

The New York Times - Sports

His newspaper has little influence left.

The New York Times

NQE has little influence on this respect.

Nature

But we know now that he has little influence.

The Guardian - Sport

Unfortunately, the Dalai Lama has little influence in Myanmar.

The New York Times

MacroH2A1.1 depletion has little influence on key metabolic genes.

Nature

The spacing has little influence on the sensitivity.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The uniformity of T6T6T has little influence on the properties.

Polymer

The surface distribution has little influence on HH RCS characteristics.

Chinese Journal of Aeronautics

Conversely, the membrane has little influence on water diffusion.

Desalination

It also has little influence on high frequency signals.

Journal of Structural Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "has little influence", clearly specify what it lacks influence on. This provides context and strengthens your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "has little influence" when the subject actually has no influence. Use stronger terms like "has no influence" or "is irrelevant" for complete absence of impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has little influence" functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating that the subject of the sentence does not have a significant effect or impact on something else. Ludwig examples show its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has little influence" is a versatile phrase used to express the limited impact or effect of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and frequently used across diverse contexts, particularly in science and news media. While the phrase is generally neutral, it's important to ensure it accurately reflects the degree of influence – avoiding its use when no influence exists. Alternatives like "has minimal impact" or "exerts limited control" can provide nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has minimal impact

Changes the word influence to impact, keeping a similar meaning.

possesses limited effect

Replaces influence with effect, emphasizing the outcome.

does not greatly affect

Directly states the limited effect on something else.

has a negligible effect

Uses the term 'negligible' to highlight the minimal impact.

exerts limited control

Focuses on the aspect of control rather than influence.

carries little weight

Emphasizes the lack of importance or significance.

holds little sway

Highlights the inability to persuade or direct.

is of minor consequence

Shifts the focus to the unimportance of something.

lacks significant bearing

Stresses the absence of a notable connection or relevance.

is scarcely felt

Emphasizes the lack of noticeable impact.

FAQs

How can I use "has little influence" in a sentence?

Use "has little influence" to indicate something doesn't significantly affect a situation. For example, "The senator's opinion "has little influence" on the final vote".

What's a more formal alternative to "has little influence"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "possesses limited effect" or "exerts limited control" as alternatives to "has little influence".

Is it better to say "has little influence on" or "has little influence over"?

Both "has little influence on" and "has little influence over" are grammatically correct. "On" is generally used when referring to a thing, while "over" is used when referring to people or processes. For example: "The weather "has little influence" on the indoor event" versus "The manager "has little influence" over the team's decisions".

What can I say instead of "has little influence" when I want to emphasize complete lack of impact?

To emphasize a complete lack of impact, use phrases such as "has no influence", "is irrelevant", or "has no bearing" instead of "has little influence".