Synonyms

impose

American

[im-pohz] / ɪmˈpoʊz /

verb (used with object)

to lay on or set as something to be borne, endured, obeyed, fulfilled, paid, etc..

to impose taxes.
to put or set by or as if by authority.

to impose one's personal preference on others.
to obtrude or thrust (oneself, one's company, etc.) upon others.

Synonyms:

foist, force
to pass or palm off fraudulently or deceptively.

He imposed his pretentious books on the public.
Printing. to lay (type pages, plates, etc.) in proper order on an imposing stone or the like and secure in a chase for printing.
to lay on or inflict, as a penalty.
Archaic. to put or place on something, or in a particular place.
Obsolete. to lay on (the hands) ceremonially, as in confirmation or ordination.

verb (used without object)

to make an impression on the mind; impose one's or its authority or influence.
to obtrude oneself or one's requirements, as upon others.

Are you sure my request doesn't impose?
to presume, as upon patience or good nature.

verb phrase

impose on / upon
1. to thrust oneself offensively upon others; intrude.
2. to take unfair advantage of; misuse (influence, friendship, etc.).
3. to defraud; cheat; deceive.
  
  A study recently showed the shocking number of confidence men that impose on the public.

impose British

/ ɪmˈpəʊz /

verb

(tr) to establish as something to be obeyed or complied with; enforce

to impose a tax on the people
to force (oneself, one's presence, etc) on another or others; obtrude
(intr) to take advantage, as of a person or quality

to impose on someone's kindness
(tr) printing to arrange pages so that after printing and folding the pages will be in the correct order
(tr) to pass off deceptively; foist

to impose a hoax on someone
(tr) (of a bishop or priest) to lay (the hands) on the head of a candidate for certain sacraments

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of impose

First recorded in 1475–85; late Middle English, from Middle French imposer, equivalent to im- im- ¹ + poser “to stop, cease”; pose ¹; pose ²

Explanation

To impose means to force or inflict something on someone else. If you want to impose your musical taste on your parents, play your tunes all day at top volume. The verb impose emerged in the 1580s, meaning "to lay on as a burden," which is very similar to the modern meaning. Governments often impose taxes, legal restrictions, and other burdensome things on citizens, for example. But you should remember what Confucius once wisely said: "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."

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Vocabulary lists containing impose

The Declaration of Independence

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List 2

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The remedy we’re talking about that the court could impose is one that Blanche is saying shouldn’t exist.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Boko Haram began its military campaign to impose Islamic rule in northern Nigeria in 2009.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Legislative proposals range from mandatory age verification for games with chat features to bills that would impose national safety standards.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

That doesn’t augur well for a union-backed initiative seeking to qualify for the November ballot that would impose a wealth tax on billionaires.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

But to completely disregard a person's disability would be unfair in evaluating what degree of culpability to assign and what sentence to impose.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023