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Influence vs Reflect - What's the difference?

influence | reflect |

In transitive terms the difference between influence and reflect

is that influence is to affect by gentle action; to exert an influence upon; to modify, bias, or sway; to persuade or induce while reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.

In intransitive terms the difference between influence and reflect

is that influence is to exert, make use of one's influence while reflect is (think seriously) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.

As a noun influence

is the power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.

influence

English

(wikipedia influence)

Noun

  • The power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone; the ability to change the development of fluctuating things such as conduct, thoughts or decisions.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-26, author=(Leo Hickman)
    • , volume=189, issue=7, page=26, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= How algorithms rule the world , passage=The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. And, as their ubiquity spreads, so too does the debate around whether we should allow ourselves to become so reliant on them – and who, if anyone, is policing their use.}}
  • An action exerted by a person or thing with such power on another to cause change.
  • A person or thing exerting such power or action.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
    • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.}}
  • (astrology) An element believed to determine someone's character or individual tendencies, caused by the position of the stars and planets at the time of one's birth.
  • (obsolete) The action of flowing in; influx.
  • * Hooker
    • God hath his influence into the very essence of all things.
  • (electricity) Electrostatic induction.

    • Usage notes

    * Adjectives often applied to "influence": cultural, political, social, economic, military, personal, moral, intellectual, mental, good, bad, positive, negative, beneficial, harmful, huge, big, heavy, significant, important, potential, actual, primary.

    Related terms

    * inflood * inflow * influencer * influent * influential, influentially * social influence * sphere of influence * under the influence

    Verb

    (influenc)
  • To affect by gentle action; to exert an influence upon; to modify, bias, or sway; to persuade or induce.
    • The politician wants to influence the public.
    I must admit that this book influenced my outlook on life.
  • To exert, make use of one's influence.
  • (obsolete) To cause to flow in or into; infuse; instill.

    • Derived terms

    * influenceable * influencer * influencive

    Related terms

    * influent * influential * influenza, flu

    Statistics

    * ----

    reflect

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
    The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
  • *
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize