impressive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of impressive
Explanation
Something that is impressive stands out because it is really good. Some of the most impressive college application essays are those that reflect on past events that shaped who the writer is today. When you impress someone, you show that you are special or that what you did is praiseworthy. So something that's impressive does just that, like the impressive feat of running a marathon every week for a year. The earliest meaning of impressive was "capable of being easily impressed," from the Latin word impressus, "imprint or stamp." By around 1775, the meaning had changed to "making a strong impression on."
Vocabulary lists containing impressive
A Long Walk to Water
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Freak the Mighty
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The City of Ember
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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.
While impressive, the underwriter fees get split up across the banks and aren’t the real money-maker.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Constantino frequently accompanied Manzo on law enforcement operations that were livestreamed for his 1.3 million Facebook fans, an impressive following for the leader of a city of just 350,000.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
"Michael," the biopic about late music superstar Michael Jackson, has returned to the top spot at the North American box office, showing impressive staying power with audiences, industry estimates showed Sunday.
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
Researchers say watermelon provides an impressive mix of nutrients, antioxidants, and naturally occurring compounds linked to cardiovascular and metabolic health.
From Science Daily • May 17, 2026
Her sneer wasn’t as bad as the one I got from Deputy Collins, but it was still pretty impressive.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
