impacted
Americanadjective
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tightly or immovably wedged in.
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Dentistry. noting a tooth so confined in its socket as to be incapable of normal eruption.
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driven together; tightly packed.
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densely populated or crowded; overcrowded.
an impacted school district.
adjective
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(of a tooth) unable to erupt, esp because of being wedged against another tooth below the gum
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(of a fracture) having the jagged broken ends wedged into each other
Other Word Forms
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; see 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
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Top Ten Most Relevant Words from the Third Republican Debate, October 28, 2015
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Vocabulary from the Eleventh Republican Debate March 3, 2016
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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.
Thursday’s stock pressure is especially pronounced for companies likely to be impacted by a slower data-center buildout in the U.S., according to Thomas Martin, a portfolio manager at Globalt Investments.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
The alleged price increases impacted both small and large businesses, the FTC said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
“The Department remains committed to a thorough investigation and to working toward accountability and justice for the victims, businesses, and others impacted by the Newhall Fire,” the department said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
It said it had also set aside more than 100% of the funds needed to cover the loss, noting 98% of the token assets impacted had been "replenished" as of Saturday.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
We should care deeply about all people impacted, including people who live in fear of violence, people who are survivors, and those who commit violent crimes.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
