influencable

Influencable is an adjective meaning capable of being influenced; susceptible to external influence, persuasion, or pressure. It is typically used to describe people or opinions but can also apply to groups, markets, or systems that can be swayed by factors such as media, leaders, or arguments.

In formal writing, more precise phrases are often preferred, such as “susceptible to influence,” “easily influenced,” or “open to persuasion.” Examples: The electorate is highly influencable by campaign messaging; consumers can be influencable through targeted advertising. In everyday usage, influencable may appear in descriptive or journalistic contexts to convey a tendency to be swayed.

Etymology and variants: The term is formed from influence plus the suffix -able. Spelling variants include influencable, influencible, and influenceable; regional and editorial differences affect which form is standard. The word has appeared in English since at least the 19th century and remains more common in nontechnical writing.

See also and related concepts: susceptibility, suggestibility, pliability, malleability, impressionability. In psychology, marketing, and political science, influenceability describes how easily attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors can change in response to external input, with attention to the ethical implications of manipulation and autonomy.