make an impression

Idioms  

1. Produce a strong effect on one. This phrase is often qualified with an adjective such as good, bad, strong, or the like. For example, He tried to make a good impression on his girlfriend's parents, or Be careful or you'll make a bad impression on the jury, or You made quite an impression with that speech. [Mid-1600s]

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Example Sentences

“It’s our first time here, it’s a much bigger audience, so we want to make an impression and prove that Filipinos deserve to be on that stage.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Foden needed a big performance against Uruguay to make an impression in areas of the team where Tuchel has plenty of quality to choose from.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

So for Super Bowl LX, the fake-brain industry is working to make an impression on our real brains by turning to the cryptocurrency bubble’s onetime game plan—and bringing in all your favorite celebrities.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

Before long, even Pixar wasn’t guaranteed their usual summer blockbuster hit, as last year’s “Elio” demonstrated when it failed to make an impression among Disney’s other theatrical fare.

From Salon • Jan. 6, 2026

Sandi could tell he wanted to make an impression.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• affect
• disturb
• excite
• grab
• impress
• influence
• inspire
• mark
• move
• stir
• strike
• stroke
• upset