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impressionist

American  
[im-presh-uh-nist] / ɪmˈprɛʃ ə nɪst /

noun

  1. a person who follows or adheres to the theories, methods, and practices of impressionism, especially in the fields of painting, music, or literature.

  2. an entertainer who does impressions.

adjective

  1. (usually initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of Impressionism.

    Impressionist paintings; Impressionist artists.
impressionist British  
/ ɪmˈprɛʃənɪst /

noun

  1. (usually capital) any of the French painters of the late 19th century who were exponents of impressionism

  2. (sometimes capital) any artist, composer, or writer who uses impressionism

  3. an entertainer who impersonates famous people

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. (often capital) denoting, of, or relating to impressionism or the exponents of this style

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • impressionistic adjective
  • impressionistically adverb
  • nonimpressionistic adjective
  • semi-impressionistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of impressionist

From the French word impressionniste, dating back to 1875–80. See impression, -ist

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.

In July 2006, Manhattan prosecutors charged Doyle with the theft of a bronze sculpture of a nude dancer by French impressionist Edgar Degas valued at $600,000.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Born in Worcestershire in 1958, Sir Lenny has been performing since he was 16 years old, first as an impressionist on a TV talent show and then as a stand-up comedian.

From BBC • May 20, 2025

Nahmad is the son of a billionaire art dealer; his family has one of the world’s largest collections of impressionist and modernist art.

From Slate • Oct. 28, 2024

Cousins has English impressionist Alistair McGowan voicing Hitchcock, as he guides viewers through various case studies to address these themes.

From Salon • Oct. 24, 2024

Before long, everyone in the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg— the men out there scouring the continent for hidden libraries, concealed prayer scrolls, closeted impressionist paintings—will be handed rifles and sent into the fire.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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.