impress
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to affect deeply or strongly in mind or feelings; influence in opinion.
He impressed us as a sincere young man.
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to fix deeply or firmly on the mind or memory, as ideas or facts.
to impress the importance of honesty on a child.
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to urge, as something to be remembered or done.
She impressed the need for action on them.
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to press (a thing) into or on something.
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to impose a particular characteristic or quality upon (something).
The painter impressed his love of garish colors upon the landscape.
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to produce (a mark, figure, etc.) by pressure; stamp; imprint.
The king impressed his seal on the melted wax.
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to apply with pressure, so as to leave a mark.
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to subject to or mark by pressure with something.
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to furnish with a mark, figure, etc., by or as if by stamping.
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Electricity. to produce (a voltage) or cause (a voltage) to appear or be produced on a conductor, circuit, etc.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to press or force into public service, as sailors.
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to seize or take for public use.
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to take or persuade into service by forceful arguments.
The neighbors were impressed into helping the family move.
noun
verb
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to make an impression on; have a strong, lasting, or favourable effect on
I am impressed by your work
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to produce (an imprint, etc) by pressure in or on (something)
to impress a seal in wax
to impress wax with a seal
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(often foll by on) to stress (something to a person); urge; emphasize
to impress the danger of a situation on someone
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to exert pressure on; press
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electronics to apply (a voltage) to a circuit or device
noun
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the act or an instance of impressing
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a mark, imprint, or effect produced by impressing
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing impress
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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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:
But it’s still possible to impress skeptical investors and flip a negative narrative.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
Tech stocks are set for a wobble on Thursday, as shares of memory makers Sandisk and Western Digital tumble following earnings that failed to impress investors.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Speaking our language isn't going to impress us without meaningful change," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
But they’ve got another bone to pick with Holden Caulfield: He is being used as a prop by performative men to impress those around him.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
My heart falls into the five-inch wedge boots I shouldn’t have worn because who am I trying to impress?
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
AvaTrade’s Friedman said Monday’s action was coming at a hot time for the chip trade after Sandisk impressed investors with its financial targets at its investor day last week.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Heaven impressed in defence, Leny Yoro also, particularly at right-back.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
From the dugout in Chicago, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol might have been the most impressed of all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Winfrey won the case in 1998, and was so impressed by McGraw that she invited him onto her show and he subsequently landed a weekly segment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
“You did a great job. I’m impressed. Really, Gabe, I’m impressed with everything you’ve done. You really repaired the harm.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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
But Rockets' bowlers held their nerve late in the innings as Spirit lost five wickets for 42 balls, with spinner Calvin Harrison impressing again with 2-25.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
He won the nomination after impressing his CEA colleagues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
But from the World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rice, things started to look different - with Bellingham impressing.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The moms are sitting on the couch, jumping up every few minutes to pull a favorite book off the shelves, laughing and impressing each other with their deep mutual love of literature.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
Remember only, that upon him, whose appearance thou shalt assume, thine shall be imprest, till thou restorest his own.
From Almoran and Hamet by John Hawkesworth
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
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
The evening on which I saw the Rhine for the first time, I was imprest with the same idea.
From Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 5 Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland, Part 1 by Francis W. (Francis Whiting) Halsey
The ayre, in which My figures liknesse is imprest, will blast.
From Bussy D'Ambois and The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois by Frederick S. Boas
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.
