impress

¹ American  

[im-pres, im-pres] / ɪmˈprɛs, ˈɪm prɛs /

verb (used with object)

impressed, imprest, impressing

1. to affect deeply or strongly in mind or feelings; influence in opinion.

   He impressed us as a sincere young man.

   Synonyms:

   sway, persuade, move, inspire, touch, stir, affect

2. to fix deeply or firmly on the mind or memory, as ideas or facts.

   to impress the importance of honesty on a child.

3. to urge, as something to be remembered or done.

   She impressed the need for action on them.

4. to press (a thing) into or on something.

5. to impose a particular characteristic or quality upon (something).

   The painter impressed his love of garish colors upon the landscape.

6. to produce (a mark, figure, etc.) by pressure; stamp; imprint.

   The king impressed his seal on the melted wax.

7. to apply with pressure, so as to leave a mark.

8. to subject to or mark by pressure with something.

9. to furnish with a mark, figure, etc., by or as if by stamping.

10. Electricity. to produce (a voltage) or cause (a voltage) to appear or be produced on a conductor, circuit, etc.

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verb (used without object)

impressed, imprest, impressing

1. to create a favorable impression; draw attention to oneself.

   a child's behavior intended to impress.

noun

1. the act of impressing.

2. a mark made by or as by pressure; stamp; imprint.

3. a distinctive character or effect imparted.

   writings that bear the impress of a strong personality.

impress ² American  

[im-pres, im-pres] / ɪmˈprɛs, ˈɪm prɛs /

verb (used with object)

impressed, imprest, impressing

1. to press or force into public service, as sailors.

2. to seize or take for public use.

3. to take or persuade into service by forceful arguments.

   The neighbors were impressed into helping the family move.

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noun

1. impressment.

impress ¹ British  

verb

1. to make an impression on; have a strong, lasting, or favourable effect on

   I am impressed by your work

2. to produce (an imprint, etc) by pressure in or on (something)

   to impress a seal in wax

   to impress wax with a seal

3. (often foll by on) to stress (something to a person); urge; emphasize

   to impress the danger of a situation on someone

4. to exert pressure on; press

5. electronics to apply (a voltage) to a circuit or device

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noun

1. the act or an instance of impressing

2. a mark, imprint, or effect produced by impressing

impress ² British  

verb

1. to commandeer or coerce (men or things) into government service; press-gang

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noun

1. the act of commandeering or coercing into government service; impressment

Other Word Forms

• impresser
  noun
• impressible
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of impress¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin impressus, past participle of imprimere “to press into or upon, impress,” equivalent to im- “in” + pressus, past participle of premere (combining form -primere ) “to press”; see im- ¹, press ¹, print

Origin of impress²

First recorded in 1590–1600; im- ¹ + press ²

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Explanation

Think of the verb impress as "leaving a mark." You might impress a print onto canvas, or you might impress prospective employers in a job interview. Whether that impression will be good or bad is up to you! The past participle of the Latin verb imprimere, "to press," is impressus, which evolved in the 14th century to the meaning "to make a permanent image." The word then came to be used figuratively, as when your parents impress upon you the importance of being honest or when you impress the judges at a diving competition. Impress can also mean to conscript someone into the army.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

impress impressed impressing imprest

A landlocked country still widely associated with a horrific genocide in 1994, Rwanda has used sports to revamp its image, attract tourists and impress investors with its organisational efficiency.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Gemini Spark did impress me with collecting everything I needed for Global Entry applications from my Google services, which a standard Gemini search with Personal Intelligence couldn’t do.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Trying to impress the announced crowd of 75,500, which was as raucous as Riley remembered hearing in his four-plus seasons in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

The point of the date is to get to know the person better, not to attempt to impress them with how much you can afford to spend.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

“I’m going to impress everyone with my cheetah speed!” he boasts.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

Now seeing Williams every day, Redick has come away even more impressed by the 25-year-old’s character and leadership qualities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Georgieva said she was "impressed" by the spirit of cooperation between AI companies, governments and other stakeholders that she witnessed in Bangkok on the issue.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Everton are still unbeaten and, as well as their results, they have really impressed me with the way they have played so far.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Getting the film made the way I did impressed him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

“I am impressed, Nell. You make a good detective.”

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Indeed, Scott was so impressive that Tuchel said: "Is Declan still for me a fixed point in my team? Yes, but some other players are coming and impressing and it's an ongoing competition."

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

As the company achieves notable growth — sales more than doubled in the latest quarter — it’s also impressing Wall Street with its profit performance.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

Fresh from impressing Iraola in New York, Chambers hammered home from inside the box in the seventh minute after Milos Kerkez got a touch on Szoboszlai's corner.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

Buddhas float overhead like a divine ideal but also weigh down on their visitors, impressing on us the difficulty of ever reaching enlightenment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

But while they were impressing each other on the road with their tightrope-without-a-safety-net virtuosity, there was another, quite opposite impulse emerging.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

What distils   Immediate thence, no end of being knows;   Bearing its seal immutably imprest.

From The World's Best Poetry, Volume 4 The Higher Life by Bliss Carman

The chosen angels, and the spirits blest, Celestial tenants, on that glorious day My Lady join'd them, throng'd in bright array Around her, with amaze and awe imprest.

From The Sonnets, Triumphs, and Other Poems of Petrarch by Thomas Campbell

The storied arras, source of fond delight, With old achievement charms the wilder'd sight; And still, with Heraldry's rich hues imprest, On the dim window glows the pictur'd crest.

From Poems by Samuel Rogers

Preeminent above all other suggestions, I am imprest with his vivid sense of the reality of the redemptive work of Christ.

From The World's Great Sermons, Volume 10 Drummond to Jowett, and General Index by Grenville Kleiser

He whose thoughts are imprest vividly on the surface is always placed at a glaring disadvantage.

From Common Sense, How to Exercise It by Mme. Blanchard Yoritomo-Tashi

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Related Words

• affect
• awe
• excite
• faze
• inspire
• sway
• thrill
• touch

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