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

The Captain responded with the dignity of a young teen who is being pestered by a child whose parents he is determined to impress.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Tuchel said in his last press conference how King is close to a senior call-up and the midfielder has impressed for the under-21s too.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The only child of Anthony, a chiropractor, and Lorraine, who works in the tech industry, Ippolito was encouraged to audition for commercials after his baseball skills impressed a friend of his parents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Abrams didn’t support Conley in the primary, but she’s been impressed with her on the campaign trail.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026

Microsoft delivered a combination of growth and profitability that impressed Wall Street on Wednesday — especially against the backdrop of greater scrutiny over artificial-intelligence investments.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

Ama asks, clearly not impressed with my valiant gesture.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

But despite impressing the likes of Stallone himself, for Ippolito -- who played a young Al Pacino in "The Offer," a mini-series chronicling the making of "The Godfather" -- the pressure was on.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

SoFi’s early 2027 forecast is impressing Wall Street.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

He has been in and out since then, impressing in flashes and even going on to make his England debut earlier this season.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

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

I stared at them, impressing them forever on my mind, wondering why they had the power to touch me, to sadden me, as though they were children that did not want me to go away.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

She looked at Bazarov—and stood still in the doorway; so greatly was she imprest by the inflamed and at the same time deathly face, with its dim eyes fastened upon her.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VIII (of X) - Continental Europe II. by Henry Cabot Lodge

If I had been going into a real engagement I could not have been more deeply imprest by the importance of the occasion.

From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. X (of X) - America - II, Index by Henry Cabot Lodge

I welcome thy spray As the prairie-bound hunter The dawning of day; No shackles have bound thee, No tyrant imprest The mark of the Pale face On torrent and crest.

From Indian Legends and Other Poems by Mary Gardiner Horsford

Note how each sentence is rounded out into fulness, until it is imprest upon your memory.

From Successful Methods of Public Speaking by Grenville Kleiser

A heart where dread was never so imprest To hide the thought that might the truth advance; In neither fortune lost, nor yet represt, To swell in wealth, or yield unto mischance.

From Six Centuries of English Poetry Tennyson to Chaucer by James Baldwin

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Related Words

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

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