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.
England men's national selector Marcus North said the pair are "two promising players who have earned their places on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket".
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Palos Verdes is 3-0 with impressive wins over Gardena Serra and now Carson, the City Section Open Division title favorite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
He adds that despite Broadcom’s impressive long-term guidance for AI revenue, investors may be waiting for more signs of execution before putting their full faith in the forecast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
And given how the tactical landscape has changed over that time, it is particularly impressive Kane has been able to not only keep up, but stay ahead.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
It was a recap screen, smaller than the one in the recap review room, but still impressive.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
