sphere of influence
noun
Forms spheres of influence
- noun (politics) A spatial region over which a state has a level of cultural, economic, military or political exclusivity. “Under the Monroe Doctrine, the United States considered Central and South America within its sphere of influence, therefore justifying American interference with these countries' domestic politics.”
- noun (figurative, by extension) A concept division over which a person, organization, etc. exerts control.
Synonyms
Etymology
In reference to Anglo-German colonial rivalry in Africa. First use appears c. 1885.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “sphere of influence”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details