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

It was the title character in Misty Green, the new movie written and directed by comedian Chris Rock, and Eleazar wanted to impress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

“It’s super hard because you’re trying to impress, but there are a lot of things you’re trying to balance,” Allen said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 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

But at the end of the day, I don’t think I illustrated this short film to impress other people.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

Now seeing Williams every day, Redick has come away even more impressed by the 25-year-old’s character and leadership qualities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

But Dubois is a beast and will learn really well, I was impressed in that fight he learned while being hurt which is difficult.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Georgieva said she was "impressed" by the spirit of cooperation between AI companies, governments and other stakeholders that she witnessed in Bangkok on the issue.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

This time—in scores by Respighi, Brahms, Strauss, Elgar and Tchaikovsky—I was far less impressed, though not because of any technical failings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

However, when he inspected the aircraft up close, he wasn’t impressed with the grease on some of the machine guns.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

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

So while federal agents swept Ole Miss’ building, Jones worked the phones, impressing upon deep-pocketed Mississippians the do-or-die nature of the coming weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

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

After impressing on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf, where he scored 24 goals in Germany's second tier, he joined Club Brugge in 2024 and quickly established himself as one of Belgium's most productive attacking players.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

These are the qualities we admire in things that have style, for style has a way of impressing itself upon us even if we do not know what particular kind of style is involved.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

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

In order to foresee disasters it is necessary that the perception—visual or auditory—of said disasters should already have imprest us.

From Common Sense, How to Exercise It by Mme. Blanchard Yoritomo-Tashi

And as two zones the northern heaven restrain, The southern two, and one the hotter midst, With five the Godhead girt th' inclosed earth, And climates five upon its face imprest.

From The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Vols. I & II by J. J. Howard

So spoke, so wish'd much humbled Eve, but Subscrib'd not; Nature first gave Signs, imprest On Bird, Beast, Air; Air suddenly eclips'd After short blush of Morn.——————

From Letters Concerning Poetical Translations And Virgil's and Milton's Arts of Verse, &c. by William Benson

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

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Related Words

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

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