imposed

American  

[im-pohzd] / ɪmˈpoʊzd /

adjective

1. laid on by someone, especially an authority, as something to be endured, obeyed, paid, etc..

   Offenders receive swiftly imposed but meaningful community service assignments, which the court monitors daily for compliance.

2. thrust or forced upon someone else, as one’s tastes, ideas, company, etc..

   I pray for my children to grow confidently into who they have been created to be, free from the pressure of imposed reputation and expectation.

3. created or established forcibly or artificially rather than developing naturally.

   All living systems organize and reorganize themselves into adaptive patterns and structures without any externally imposed plan or direction.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of impose.

Other Word Forms

• subimposed adjective
• unimposed adjective
• well-imposed adjective

Etymology

Origin of imposed

impose ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something that is imposed is usually unwelcome and unpleasant and is expected to be endured — like higher taxes or unwelcome guests. The adjective imposed comes from the Latin imponere, "to place upon, to inflict or deceive." An imposed tax is one placed upon you by law. The English word comes by way of the Middle French verb imposer, meaning "to lay a burden." So if you are imposed upon by an unwanted guest, you'll have to endure an imposed visit.

Example Sentences

This shift from public to private markets is due to overly complex regulations imposed after the dot-com crash, beginning with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

The military has imposed curfews, stepped up patrols and reinforced checkpoints across the country.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

Also, it assumes that consumers benefit from these “upgrades” in the first place, even in cases where the product evolution is imposed.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

He said it imposed a “very modest burden of substantiation” for victims to show Purdue had harmed them, “an exceedingly low bar.”

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

Only someone op-erating full-time from underground would be free from the para-lyzing restrictions imposed by the enemy.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• prescribed
• required
• sanctioned