Phrase guide

under the influence

adj · adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Intoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus, especially, drunk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • He was arrested for driving while under the influence.
  • He was fired for showing up when he was under the influence.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

While intoxicated or inebriated, in any degree from mildly impaired to stupefied, by a mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; thus, especially, drunk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • He was arrested for driving under the influence.
  • He was fired for showing up under the influence.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Elliptical, since the agent (any intoxicating substance) is implicit because it is understood in context.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تَحْتَ اَلتَّأْثِير (taḥta t-taʔṯīr) — intoxicated
  • Catalan: sota els efectes de l'alcohol — intoxicated
  • Catalan: sota la influència de l'alcohol — intoxicated
  • Dutch: onder invloed — intoxicated
  • Finnish: päihtyneenä — intoxicated
  • Galician: baixo os efectos do alcohol — intoxicated
  • Galician: baixo a influenza do alcohol — intoxicated
  • Georgian: ნასვამი (nasvami) — intoxicated
  • Georgian: ალკოჰოლის ზემოქმედების ქვეშ (alḳoholis zemokmedebis kveš) — intoxicated
  • German: unter Einfluss von Alkohol — intoxicated
  • German: unter dem Einfluss von Alkohol — intoxicated
  • Greek: υπό την επήρεια του αλκοόλ (ypó tin epíreia tou alkoól) — intoxicated
  • Greek: υπό την επήρεια (ypó tin epíreia) — intoxicated
  • Hungarian: alkoholos — intoxicated
  • Hungarian: kábítószeres — intoxicated
  • Hungarian: gyógyszeres befolyásoltság alatt — intoxicated
  • Hungarian: állapotában — intoxicated
  • Italian: in stato di ebbrezza — intoxicated
  • Polish: na podwójnym gazie — intoxicated
  • Polish: pod wpływem — intoxicated
  • Portuguese: sob o efeito do álcool — intoxicated
  • Portuguese: sob a influência do álcool — intoxicated
  • Russian: под га́зом (pod gázom) — intoxicated
  • Russian: под му́хой (pod múxoj) — intoxicated
  • Russian: подшофе́ (podšofɛ́) — intoxicated
  • Scottish Gaelic: fo bhuaidh na dighe — intoxicated
  • Slovene: pod vplivom — intoxicated
  • Spanish: bajo los efectos del alcohol — intoxicated
  • Spanish: bajo la influencia del alcohol — intoxicated
  • Swedish: påverkad — intoxicated