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:
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
“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
We do our special handshake, and Sneaky adds some extra moves at the end, probably to impress Aliya.
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Pasadena-area Democrat who met Gonzales-Torres through her work as an academic counselor, said she’s impressed with her interest in challenging federal immigration laws.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
The new forecasts show SoFi’s optimism, though the company hasn’t impressed investors this year.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
More significant, musically, it was orchestral pop with multiple movements; chord changes that might have impressed both Paul McCartney and Claude Debussy; and an obscurely poetic paean to lost love.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Arsenal's Alessia Russo was second to Shaw for goals last season and impressed in the Champions League, picking up nine goals.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
“I’d be way more impressed if you could turn into something smaller. Like maybe a sheep?”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
He was unexpectedly handed his debut in a 1-0 friendly win against New Zealand, impressing in a second-half cameo and becoming the fifth youngest player to represent the Three Lions.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 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
Despite coming under criticism early in the tournament, Spence ended up starting and impressing in England's World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Thus an Italian opera, typically, was a series of well-defined ‘numbers’, a glorified variety show, with something for everyone and plenty of opportunity for lead singers to have their turn at impressing the audience.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
No certain form on any was imprest; All were confused, and each disturbed the rest.
From Heathen Mythology by Various
Since Sonnets thus in bundles are imprest, And euery drudge doth dull our satiate eare, Think'st thou my loue, shall in those rags be drest That euery dowdie, euery trull doth weare?
From Minor Poems of Michael Drayton by Cyril Brett
This is that Henry IV., whose scene at Canossa with the Pope—Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire waiting three days in the snow to kiss the foot of excommunicative Gregory—has imprest itself on all memories.
From Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 5 Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland, Part 1 by Francis W. (Francis Whiting) Halsey
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
In the rule given by the A.P.A. for the substitution of ed for t, lasht and imprest are given as examples.
From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 26, July 1880. by Various
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