impacted

[ im-pak-tid ]

adjective

1. tightly or immovably wedged in.
2. Dentistry. noting a tooth so confined in its socket as to be incapable of normal eruption.
3. driven together; tightly packed.
4. densely populated or crowded; overcrowded:

   an impacted school district.

impacted

/ ɪmˈpæktɪd /

adjective

1. (of a tooth) unable to erupt, esp because of being wedged against another tooth below the gum
2. (of a fracture) having the jagged broken ends wedged into each other

Other Words From

• nonim·pacted adjective
• unim·pacted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of impacted¹

First recorded 1675–85; obsolete adjective impact (from Latin impāctus, past participle of impingere “to fasten, cause to collide, strike,” equivalent to im- “in” + pag-, variant stem of pangere “to drive in, plant firmly” + -tus past participle suffix) + -ed ²; im- ¹, impinge

Example Sentences

Climate change affects us all, but it affects some areas of the world disproportionately and we must use the resources we have to help those who are the most impacted.

From Time

Work on the canonical issue continues, with about 55% of impacted URLs restored.

From Search Engine Land

Rather than layoffs, Insider has been able to redeploy staffers into areas where the business is still growing and less impacted.

From Digiday

One of the most impacted ZIP codes includes the San Ysidro Elementary School District, which has some of the highest rates of student homelessness in the county, a measure that includes families living in overcrowded or substandard conditions.

From Voice of San Diego

Depending on what parts of the brain are impacted, the person can develop forms of dementia and personality changes.

From The Daily Beast

I think all of us who are impacted by it have been referencing it in one way or another for years in our work.

From The Daily Beast

But by our estimate, the number of people impacted by Chase account closures is closer to tens than hundreds.

From The Daily Beast

McCain said he would not be impacted financially by being subject to a visa ban and asset freeze in the Russian Federation.

From The Daily Beast

Nearly half of a solid 45 percent say the Internet has impacted their relationship.

From The Daily Beast

In the twilight gloom his glittering rows of shark's teeth seemed impacted on my eyeball—I saw them, and nothing else.

From Project Gutenberg

This Plate represents the head fixed, or impacted, at the upper strait of a narrow pelvis.

From Project Gutenberg

When they are so impacted as to prevent the delivery being completed, the accoucheur must interfere.

From Project Gutenberg

The nates may become so firmly impacted in the pelvis, that they cannot advance without artificial assistance.

From Project Gutenberg

The minute bronchial ramifications and corresponding lobules were impacted with dense carbon.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fixed
• ingrained
• installed
• planted