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:
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
Tuchel said the onus was now on players to impress in the international set-up.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Set in one tatty motel room in 1967 Detroit, “Voices” is a vicious flick about rising two soul acts hellbent on getting on stage that night to impress Motown Records’ Barry Gordy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
"In the 1840 narrative, Byfield sought to impress wealthy patrons by presenting himself as a dutiful soldier and deserving veteran," O'Keeffe says.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026
I would impress everyone, or they'd just feel sorry for me.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
She was impressed that the real Skye Prince was calling out the copycat accounts and that she insisted the beds would be free.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
They impressed in a draw against Liverpool, won comfortably at Tottenham, but were also terrible in a loss at Leeds, although they responded well to beat Hull.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Let’s just say both teams’ fans were not impressed with the number of penalties.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Allegedly, somewhere out there De Palma’s original three-hour cut exists, one that so impressed Ellroy that he devoted an entire essay to singing its praises called “The Hillikers.”
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
It feels good to have people impressed by Mom for a change.
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
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
Fresh from impressing Iraola in New York, Chambers hammered home from inside the box in the seventh minute after Milos Kerkez got a touch on Szoboszlai's corner.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
I didn’t have to think about impressing nobody.
From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña
Our young man, however, did not seem to be imprest either with this spectacle of destruction or with the beauty of the sky, tinged with the rosy colors of the dawning day.
From The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VIII (of X) - Continental Europe II. by Henry Cabot Lodge
No certain form on any was imprest; All were confused, and each disturbed the rest.
From Heathen Mythology by Various
The chosen angels, and the spirits blest, Celestial tenants, on that glorious day My Lady join'd them, throng'd in bright array Around her, with amaze and awe imprest.
From The Sonnets, Triumphs, and Other Poems of Petrarch by Thomas Campbell
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
Thy wisdom is made manifest In all things formed by Thy behest, All with Thy seal's clear mark imprest.
From Hebrew Literature by Epiphanius Wilson
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.
