impinge
Americanverb (used without object)
-
impinges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
impinged,
past participle, past
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impinging
present participle
-
to make an impression; have an effect or impact (usually followed by on orupon ).
to impinge upon the imagination; social pressures that impinge upon one's daily life.
-
to encroach; infringe (usually followed by on orupon ).
to impinge on another's rights.
-
to strike; dash; collide (usually followed by on, upon, oragainst ).
rays of light impinging on the eye.
verb (used with object)
-
impinges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
impinged,
past participle, past
-
impinging
present participle
verb
-
(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to encroach or infringe; trespass
to impinge on someone's time
-
(intr; usually foll by on, against, or upon) to collide (with); strike
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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impingesimple
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impingessimple
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have impingedperfect
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has impingedperfect
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am impingingprogressive
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are impingingprogressive
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is impingingprogressive
-
have been impingingperfect progressive
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has been impingingperfect progressive
Past
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impingedsimple
-
had impingedperfect
-
was impingingprogressive
-
were impingingprogressive
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had been impingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of impinge
First recorded in 1525–35; from Medieval Latin impingere “to strike against, drive at,” equivalent to Latin im- prefix meaning “in” ( see im- 1) + -pingere, combining form of pangere “to fasten, drive in, fix”; see impact
Explanation
Whether you have a habit of standing too close when talking to others or bringing luggage on a crowded rush-hour subway car, you'll find people don't like it when you impinge on their personal space. When you impinge, you intrude on something, whether it’s someone else’s space, time, or rights. Think of it as moving in on someone’s territory. The word also can be used in the sense of affecting something, usually negatively, often by restricting it. For example, constantly inviting your friend to go shopping and meet you in nice restaurants might impinge on her desire to save money.
Vocabulary lists containing impinge
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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.
See Examples For:
It states that it does not impinge on constitutionally protected rights to express political, academic or ideological disagreements.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Analogous to the U.S. situation, some leading voices in Chinese tech are telling the government that tighter measures would slow down AI development in China and ultimately impinge on its growth potential.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
As Ms. Carr shows, the parental perspective of what is happening may not impinge upon what siblings think is happening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
"It is important that nothing is said that would either potentially defame an individual, nor impinge upon the police investigation which is ongoing," stated the letter, signed by two senior members of the church.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025
To impinge the tone near the nasal passage gives it a nasal quality, a fault most common with the French, acquired probably through the necessity of singing certain French words—bien, for example—through the nose.
From The Voice Its Production, Care and Preservation by Frank E. Miller
In subsequent books, the outside world impinges on Roz’s idyll.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2025
Lawyers for Carter said in briefs that the type of training ordered “is a commonplace civil contempt sanction” and denied that it impinges on the airline’s free speech rights.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2024
He also argues the new consultation requirement impinges on academic freedom.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 18, 2023
Ms Owens questioned this request, saying: "We do not accept that our wider call for support and legal reassurance for armed officers impinges upon our independence, nor the impartiality of the misconduct hearing process."
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2023
This projection serves a double purpose: it gives a point of attachment for the quartz needle, and on firing the bow it forms a resisting anvil on which the string of the bow impinges.
From On Laboratory Arts by Richard Threlfall
Brusuelas says the economy likely won’t be impinged so long as oil stays below $125 a barrel.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
MSPs made significant amendments to the current hate crime legislation when they were scrutinising the bill in parliament after lawyers, journalists and comedians raised concerns that it impinged on free speech.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2024
Baez was determined that the documentary represent “an honest legacy,” both the heights of her 1960s-era activism, as well as the “wrinkles” that impinged upon her personal journey.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2023
The disappearance of China's defence minister heightened uncertainty about President Xi Jinping's stance towards international engagement, worker strikes impinged on global production and the spectre of a U.S. government shutdown returned.
From Reuters ● Sep. 18, 2023
It showed that a person’s decision making is impinged by something as simple as a modest memory task.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
“Magnificent Seven” stocks are impinging on investors’ returns, according to Citigroup — and it’s triggered the fourth-worst day for momentum stocks in 22 years.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
However, to allow the declaration element of Massa's case to proceed "comes too close in my view to impinging on the right of the FIA to govern its own affairs", the judge said.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
"I don't think that's impinging on anybody's First Amendment rights to protect my staff."
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2023
First baseman Evan White had hip surgery Monday in New York to repair a tendon that was impinging a joint.
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2023
They had fenced off the parallel faces of each dee with a grid of fine tungsten wires to prevent the electrical field from impinging within the dees while allowing the particle beam to pass through.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
