import

American  

[im-pawrt, -pohrt, im-pawrt, -pohrt] / ɪmˈpɔrt, -ˈpoʊrt, ˈɪm pɔrt, -poʊrt /

verb (used with object)

imports, present (3rd person singular) imported, past participle, past importing present participle

1. to bring in (merchandise, commodities, workers, etc.) from a foreign country for use, sale, processing, reexport, or services.

2. to bring or introduce from one use, connection, or relation into another.

   foreign bodies imported into the blood; foodstuffs imported from the farm.

3. to convey as meaning or implication; signify.

   Her words imported a change of attitude.

4. to involve as a necessary circumstance; imply.

   Religion imports belief.

5. Computers. to bring (documents, data, etc.) into one software program from another.

6. Archaic. to be of consequence or importance to; concern.

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verb (used without object)

imports, present (3rd person singular) imported, past participle, past importing present participle

1. to be of consequence or importance; to matter.

   We are friends, and it does not import that we have only just met.

noun

imports plural

1. something that is imported from abroad; an imported commodity or article.

2. the act of importing or bringing in; importation, as of goods from abroad.

   the import of foreign cars.

3. consequence or importance.

   matters of great import.

   Synonyms:

   sense, significance

4. meaning; implication; purport.

   He felt the import of her words.

import British  

verb

1. to buy or bring in (goods or services) from a foreign country Compare export

2. (tr) to bring in from an outside source

   to import foreign words into the language

3. rare to signify or be significant; mean; convey

   to import doom

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noun

1. (often plural)

   1. goods ( visible imports ) or services ( invisible imports ) that are bought from foreign countries

   2. ( as modifier )

      an import licence

2. significance or importance

   a man of great import

3. meaning or signification

4. informal a sportsman or -woman who is not native to the country in which he or she plays

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• importability
  noun
• importer
  noun
• nonimport
  noun
• preimport
  noun
• overimport
  verb (used with object)
• preimport
  verb (used with object)
• importable
  adjective
• unimported
  adjective
• unimporting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• imports
  plural

Participles

• importing
  present
• imported
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• import
  simple
• imports
  simple
• have imported
  perfect
• has imported
  perfect
• am importing
  progressive
• are importing
  progressive
• is importing
  progressive
• have been importing
  perfect progressive
• has been importing
  perfect progressive

Past

• imported
  simple
• had imported
  perfect
• was importing
  progressive
• were importing
  progressive
• had been importing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will import
  simple
• will have imported
  perfect
• will be importing
  progressive
• will have been importing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of import

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English importen, from Latin importāre; equivalent to im- ¹ + port ⁵

Explanation

Imports are the products shipped into our country from other places. We import Japanese autos and export our pop music to Tokyo. Import also means to signify something. Is it of import to our economic security to have so many Japanese imports on our roads? The origins of the word import are literally "to bring into port." The ratio of imports to exports is a big indicator of the health of a nation's economy. The word import can also refer to attitudes or behaviors that come as part of the culture of a place. "New York media is dominated by British journalists who have imported the snarky style of gossip reporting famous in London."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

import imports imported importing

The ban applies to new foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and power inverters and does not prevent the sale or import of any existing models that had been previously authorised by the FCC.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

In rolling out its new set of import taxes of 10% to 12.5% on Thursday, the Office of the U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Under Thursday's announcement, economies that have implemented a forced labor import prohibition or committed to do so were hit with the lower 10-percent rate.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

The European market for standard steels remained cautious and import volumes increased ahead of new trade measures, it said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Charles and Emma would import friends and relatives.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

The ability to dial down imports this way is the result of years of planning by Beijing to reduce dependence on overseas oil.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

A weaker greenback makes American exports cheaper and more competitive abroad, while making imports more expensive.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

During one of the worst energy crises in history, brought on by the Iran war, the crude market’s top customer cut imports by 40%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

In theory, a strong dollar would make foreign imports cheaper for American consumers, and often has a cooling effect on commodities, which are priced in dollars.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

“He’s supposed to have a patron. We take them on their oaths. My family imports them from Nippon, after training. But not without a patron.”

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

US President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday added humanoid and quadruped robots to a list of products and companies that are banned from being imported into the United States on national security grounds.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Some point to signs that the impulse from tariffs on imported goods prices has finally run its course.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

One of the largest cyclosporiasis outbreaks in North America was linked to imported raspberries from Guatemalan farms in 1996.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Investigators estimate that some 49,000 ants, imported from the US and Thailand, were used in several dishes over four years.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Colonists in Jamestown broke off from complaining about their Indian neighbors to complain about the depredations of the rats they had accidentally imported.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Eugene Kim designed the interior of the spa, importing nearly all the materials and most of the furniture from Korea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Jurisdictions importing Russian oil and natural gas this year include the European Union, Japan, Turkey, Brazil and South Korea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Without Russian diesel, importing countries have turned in large part to U.S. diesel, which has helped push U.S. domestic prices higher, Mills said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

Extracting a tonne of coal now costs nearly twice as much as importing it, and domestic production no longer fully covers the country's needs.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

That's how the excess 02 I've been importing ends up in the tanks.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• value
• worth