impressive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of impressive
Explanation
Something that is impressive stands out because it is really good. Some of the most impressive college application essays are those that reflect on past events that shaped who the writer is today. When you impress someone, you show that you are special or that what you did is praiseworthy. So something that's impressive does just that, like the impressive feat of running a marathon every week for a year. The earliest meaning of impressive was "capable of being easily impressed," from the Latin word impressus, "imprint or stamp." By around 1775, the meaning had changed to "making a strong impression on."
Vocabulary lists containing impressive
A Long Walk to Water
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Freak the Mighty
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The City of Ember
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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.
Investors who gritted their teeth and bought funds tracking a leading small cap value index made impressive gains, but not because they had identified some market turning point.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Although Perry has confirmed that he will make the move, its unclear if he will sell any of the homes in his impressive property portfolio.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
Our critic praised the work, saying “in these creations we find a wealth of details, impressive from both a technical standpoint and in their fealty to the garments being copied.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
But Dodgers left-handed starter Tarik Skubal was even more impressive, despite the heat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
The views of the grand buildings around the square, including the colorful onion-shaped domes of Saint Basil’s Cathedral, were impressive.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
