The 30 most-influential women of 2018 - Women (and girls) like Parkland shooting survivor Emma González, #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke, and newlywed Meghan Markle have made a huge impact in the world this past year. These fearless ladies have no problems speaking out on issues such as inequality, sexual harassment, and gun control, as they clamor for change. Others have even been influential for their position in the political panorama, such as Donald Trump's controversial top adviser Kellyanne Conway. But in one way or another, all of these 30 women have left their mark either within the past few months or over the course of their lives. Click through this gallery to see Ranker's most influential women of 2018.

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30. Meryl Streep - After this year's 90th Academy Awards, Streep remained the most Oscar-nominated actor in history, with 21 in total. She is widely considered one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood.

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29. Jennifer Lawrence - J-Law not only reinforced the fact that she could be everyone's best friend at this year's Oscars when she climbed chairs while holding a glass of wine, but she has also been a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement. The actress has come forward with her own stories of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

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28. Salma Hayek - Hayek's New York Times op-ed, published last December, stood out for her detailed account of the many months of abuse and harassment she suffered at the hands of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein while shooting the Oscar-nominated movie 'Frida' in 2002.

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27. Sheryl Sandberg - Sandberg has been Facebook's Chief Operating Officer since 2008 and has helped boost its revenue massively. She has heavily criticized some of Trump's policies, but faced some backlash herself this year after it was revealed that Facebook had mishandled the data of millions of users.

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26. Greta Gerwig - Gerwig's solo-directorial debut 'Lady Bird' earned her an Oscar nomination and a spot on the Time's 100 list. Her Oscar nod made her the fifth woman to be nominated for directing in 90 years.

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25. Selma Blair - The actress has also been one of the leading voices in exposing abuse in Hollywood and, alongside Rachel McAdams, told Vanity Fair about director James Toback’s sexual harassment. Toback has since been accused of sexual assault by over 300 women.

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24. Frances McDormand - McDormand has two Oscars, two Emmys, and a Tony under her belt, and her acceptance speech at the Academy Awards this year showed she meant business. She asked all the female nominees to stand with her and reinforced how gender inequality in Hollywood must be combated.

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23. Betsy DeVos - The US Secretary of Education has been involved in several controversies ever since she took up the role in 2017. Most recently, DeVos and her Department of Education were sued by The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for failing to investigate discrimination complaints.

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22. Sarah Palin - Former Alaska governor and Republican vice-president candidate Sarah Palin was engulfed in a major family scandal late last year when it was reported that her son Track had physically assaulted Palin's husband Todd.

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21. Jessica Chastain - Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain is one of the industry's most prominent voices for the feminism movement and known for her portrayals of strong female leads. Her most recent movie '355' is an action-packed spy thriller in which she stars alongside Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, and Fan Bingbing.

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20. Tomi Lahren - Political commentator, Fox News pundit, and Trump supporter Tomi Lahren has been in the news more often than not these past few months. Her conservative views on topics such as gun control and Black Lives Matter have gathered her some enemies around the world—just last week, she had a drink thrown at her while out for brunch.

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19. Emma Watson - 'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson was Forbes's sixth highest-paid actress of 2017. She earned US$14 million in large part due to her role in the hit remake of the Disney classic, 'Beauty and the Beast.'

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18. Tina Fey - The comedian was the mastermind behind this year's Broadway version of 'Mean Girls,' which earned a whooping US$4.1 million in the first three weeks of previews, according to Variety. Fey also recently hosted the SNL Season 43 finale.

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17. Ruth Bader Ginsburg - US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the star of documentary 'RBG,' which portrays her exemplary life. The 85-year-old has been at the forefront of feminism and equality in the justice world for decades.

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16. Elizabeth Warren - The Massachusetts senator is one of the most popular female Democrats as well as a tough critic of Donald Trump. After he recently tweeted that he has the power to pardon himself, Warren responded that, "no one is above the law, and that includes the President of the United States."

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15. Cardi B - The rapper's hit single 'Bodak Yellow' earned her two Grammy nominations and her highly-anticipated debut album, 'Invasion of Privacy,' hit number one on the Billboard 200 Chart.

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14. Oprah Winfrey - Oprah has been one of the most influential women of the past few decades and her powerful speech at the Golden Globes this year resulted in a massive wave of support for her to run for the US presidency.

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13. Emma González - One of the survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Emma González and her colleagues have been outspoken against the gun control laws in the US. She delivered a tear-jerking and powerful speech at the March For Our Lives protest this year.

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12. Tiffany Haddish - Tiffany Haddish is the comedian of the moment. She became the first black female stand-up comedian to host SNL, released her memoir, 'The Last Black Unicorn,' which consequently earned her a spot on The New York Times best-seller list, and stole the show at the Oscars with her hilarious speech.

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11. Jaclyn Corin - Part of one of the youngest groups fighting against gun violence, Parkland shooting survivor Jaclyn Corin helped organize the March For Our Lives demonstration in Washington and is a fierce critic of the NRA.

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10. Sarah Huckabee Sanders - Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary is grilled on a daily basis about pertinent questions regarding the Trump administration's alleged collusion with Russia, school shootings, and the rise of white supremacy in the US.

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9. J. K. Rowling - 'Harry Potter' author J. K. Rowling has brought renewed happiness to HP fans by writing the long-awaited play 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child,' which has migrated to Broadway. She also has a new sequel to 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' hitting theaters later this year. Finally, she announced that she is working on the Fantastic Beasts 3 screenplay.

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8. Tarana Burke - Burke is an activist and founder of the #MeToo movement. The worldwide campaign has inspired many women to share their stories of sexual harassment and helped bring Harvey Weinstein to justice. Burke, among other "silence breakers," was named Time Person of the Year in 2017.

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7. Kellyanne Conway - Presidential campaign manager and now-Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway is one of Trump's top advisers. The position makes her the highest-ranking woman in the White House.

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6. Reese Witherspoon - The Academy Award winner owns the production company Pacific Standard, which focuses on making movies featuring strong female leads. With the premiere of her movie 'A Wrinkle in Time,' the return of hit show 'Big Little Lies,' and the announcement of a third 'Legally Blonde' film, Witherspoon is becoming one of the most prolific and powerful women in Hollywood.

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5. Ivanka Trump - Trump's daughter Ivanka is also his senior adviser and possibly one of the most prominent voices in his administration. She faces daily criticism for supporting her father even though they often share contrasting views. Recently, late-night host and comedian Samantha Bee called her the C-word on live television.

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4. Queen Elizabeth II - The Queen of England is now the longest-ruling monarch in the country's history at the age of 92. As the head of the Commonwealth countries, she remains one of the most iconic figures, not only in the United Kingdom, but around the world.

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3. Angela Merkel - German chancellor Angela Merkel is now more influential than ever. As the US and Europe become more and more politically divided and China continues to grow economically, Merkel's goal is to turn Europe into a united front.

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2. Meghan Markle - From teenage activist to Hollywood-star-turned-princess, Markle's journey has conquered the public's heart like no other. After marrying Prince Harry, she became the newest face of the Monarchy and one of the most recognizable women in the world.

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1. Melania Trump - US First Lady Melania Trump is often criticized for having no influence over her husband, but an investigative book 'The Trump White House: Changing the Rules of the Game' describes otherwise. Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that she's a "very powerful behind-the-scenes force," according to Vanity Fair.

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The 30 most-influential women of 2018

These powerful women continue to make headlines around the world

05/07/18 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Influential

This past year has been a truly great year for women, as they demand equality, root for each other, and come forward with their stories to help empower fellow ladies. Female celebrities, businesswomen, and political activists alike have had a tremendous impact in the world, and they show no signs of slowing down.

Ranker has put together a lineup of the most influential women of 2018 so far. Click through to see who's made the top 30.