impost

¹ American  

[im-pohst] / ˈɪm poʊst /

noun

1. a tax; tribute; duty.

2. a customs duty.

3. Horse Racing. the weight assigned to a horse in a race.

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verb (used with object)

imposts, present (3rd person singular) imposted, past participle, past imposting present participle

1. to determine customs duties on, according to the kind of imports.

impost ² American  

[im-pohst] / ˈɪm poʊst /

noun

Architecture.

1. the point of springing of an arch; spring.

2. an architectural feature immediately beneath this point.

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impost ¹ British  

/ ˈɪmpəʊst /

noun

1. a tax, esp a customs duty

2. horse racing the specific weight that a particular horse must carry in a handicap race

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verb

1. (tr) to classify (imported goods) according to the duty payable on them

impost ² British  

/ ˈɪmpəʊst /

noun

1. architect a member at the top of a wall, pier, or column that supports an arch, esp one that has a projecting moulding

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• imposter
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• imposting
  present
• imposted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• impost
  simple
• imposts
  simple
• have imposted
  perfect
• has imposted
  perfect
• am imposting
  progressive
• are imposting
  progressive
• is imposting
  progressive
• have been imposting
  perfect progressive
• has been imposting
  perfect progressive

Past

• imposted
  simple
• had imposted
  perfect
• was imposting
  progressive
• were imposting
  progressive
• had been imposting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will impost
  simple
• will have imposted
  perfect
• will be imposting
  progressive
• will have been imposting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of impost¹

1560–70; < Medieval Latin impostus a tax, noun use of Latin impostus, variant of impositus imposed; see imposition

Origin of impost²

1655–65; < French imposte < Italian imposta < Latin: feminine of impostus (past participle); see impost ¹

Example Sentences

About 42% of Americans say the economy and cost of living is the most impost important issue facing the country today, a CNN poll External link this month found.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

He tells clients in a note that a sale for A$500 million plus appropriate brand value, with only a modest capital gains tax impost, would be positively received by investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

Congress sought another impost in 1783, but New York refused this time, fearing the creation of a powerful central government.

From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018

In the 1968 Washington Park Handicap in Chicago, carrying an impost of 134 pounds, Dr. Fager won by 10 lengths and set the mile record of 1 minute 32 1/5 seconds.

From New York Times • Aug. 13, 2015

Most of the reporters, and much of the crowd, believed that Riddle had simply balked at the 132-pound impost and didn’t care enough about the consequences of scratching to do the sportsmanlike thing.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand