impacted
Americanadjective
-
tightly or immovably wedged in.
-
Dentistry. noting a tooth so confined in its socket as to be incapable of normal eruption.
-
driven together; tightly packed.
-
densely populated or crowded; overcrowded.
an impacted school district.
adjective
-
(of a tooth) unable to erupt, esp because of being wedged against another tooth below the gum
-
(of a fracture) having the jagged broken ends wedged into each other
Other Word Forms
- nonimpacted adjective
- unimpacted adjective
Etymology
Origin of impacted
First recorded 1675–85; obsolete adjective impact (from Latin impāctus, past participle of impingere “to fasten, cause to collide, strike,” equivalent to im- “in” + pag-, variant stem of pangere “to drive in, plant firmly” + -tus past participle suffix) + -ed 2; im- 1, impinge
Explanation
If your doctor tells you that something is impacted, that's not a good thing. It means wedged together and unable to move. Wisdom teeth are often impacted, which makes one question how wise they actually are. A fractured bone can be impacted as well, which means the two broken ends are wedged together. Perhaps you could say that your Christmas stocking is so jam packed and impacted with goodies that you can barely pull anything out — but that's about the only non-painful association with the word imaginable.
Vocabulary lists containing impacted
This Week In Words: October 5–11, 2019
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Top Ten Most Relevant Words from the Third Republican Debate, October 28, 2015
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from the Eleventh Republican Debate March 3, 2016
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Lower-income consumers are disproportionately impacted by the recent price rise, with gasoline making up a larger share of their overall spending, according to the Bank of America Institute.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
"Intensive work continues to ensure schools are fully reconnected to the C2k system and that all impacted systems return to normal," it said.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Hermes said its performance in the Middle East was significantly impacted and results in France—where more than 50% of sales are linked to travelers—were also hit.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
While healthcare inflation is driven by a variety of factors beyond oil prices, recent research External link has suggested the sector is more heavily impacted by oil price shocks than many analysts previously assumed.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
Thousands of flying avatars and ships continued to buzz around the shield, occasionally firing bullets, lasers, missiles, and other projectiles at it, all of which impacted harmlessly on the surface.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
