impressive

adjective

im·​pres·​sive im-ˈpre-siv How to pronounce impressive (audio)
: making or tending to make a marked impression : having the power to excite attention, awe, or admiration
an impressive display of skill
impressively adverb
impressiveness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for impressive

moving, impressive, poignant, affecting, touching, pathetic mean having the power to produce deep emotion.

moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy.

a moving appeal for contributions

impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction.

an impressive list of achievements

poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities.

a poignant documentary on the homeless

affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos.

an affecting deathbed reunion

touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion.

the touching innocence in a child's eyes

pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt.

pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

Examples of impressive in a Sentence

He has an impressive vocabulary for a 10-year-old. Her first performance was very impressive. He has an impressive manner.
Recent Examples on the Web Finishing strong Sunday’s 2-0 victory over rivals Köln in a Rhein derby match was the latest in a long line of impressive performances from Leverkusen as the club extended its lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to 10 points following Bayern’s draw on Friday. Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The Royals will continue to evaluate their group of outfielders, but Melendez was impressive during the second half of the 2023 season. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Richie asked his colleagues after Scarlett belted a particularly impressive note. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 This implies an even more impressive record of success with German songwriters given that the company is No. 3 globally and gets less market share in Germany from global music than its competitors. Robert Levine, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2024 The Gators won Friday’s opener 7-3, but Miami stormed back Saturday with three home runs and an impressive pitching performance by starter Rafe Schlesinger for his second win against no losses in 2024. Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 Five years later, a similar challenge faces Takatoshi (Hokuto Matsumura), a handsome if surly young man whose unpredictable panic attacks have forced him to park his high-flying career aspirations and take a far less impressive job at a company that makes science and astronomy kits for children. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 3 Mar. 2024 Winning 13 out of 16 NBA games is impressive no matter the opposition. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 His impressive expertise in banking and private equity, along with his extensive international exposure, served as the ideal incubator for his innovative concept. Tyler Giroud, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impressive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impressive was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near impressive

Cite this Entry

“Impressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impressive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

impressive

adjective
im·​pres·​sive im-ˈpres-iv How to pronounce impressive (audio)
: having the power to impress the mind or feelings
an impressive speech
impressively adverb
impressiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impressive

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