im·print
im-ˈprint 
ˈim-ˌprint
ˈim-ˌprint
imprinted; imprinting; imprints
1
: to mark by or as if by pressure : impress
2
a
: to fix indelibly or permanently (as on the memory)
b
: to subject to or induce by imprinting
an imprinted preference
: to undergo imprinting
im·print
ˈim-ˌprint
: something imprinted or printed: such as
a
: a mark or depression made by pressure
the fossil imprint of a dinosaur's foot
b
: an identifying name (as of a publisher) placed conspicuously on a product
also
: the name under which a publisher issues books
c
: an indelible distinguishing effect or influence
Synonyms
Examples of imprint in a Sentence
Verb
wearing a T-shirt imprinted with the company logo
a picture imprinted in my memory
Noun
We saw an imprint of a bike tire on the dirt trail.
a fossil imprint of a dinosaur's foot
Recent Examples on the Web
Oliver Darcy, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
This is part of the genius of Chris Claremont, the famed writer who imprinted his political and social consciousness onto the X-books from 1975 to 1991.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar. 2024
Sam Laurence’s promotion company imprint Dollop will also be included in the company, along with promoters Eve Thomas and Hayley Moss.
—Dave Brooks, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024
Copied from a newsletter published by students in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, the image features a Black man and an Arab man with nooses around their necks, held by a hand imprinted with the Star of David that has a dollar sign in the middle of the star.
—NBC News, 21 Feb. 2024
Elements of The Matrix came from the Wachowskis' days working at the Marvel comics imprint Razorline in 1993.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
This time, the ramp up included offseason conversations with players and staff, along with the time spring training allowed to establish culture and imprint himself on all-things-Padres.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024
Spot a political pattern emerging across the globe, pin its fortunes to yours (Clinton’s Third Way neoliberalism, Reagan’s cheerily fierce anti-Communism), and your legacy might reach far beyond Washington, your ideas imprinted in the hearts of billions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2024
Later that evening, Adam Lee is in the plate room imprinting digital files, produced by editors and page designers, onto aluminum sheets.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024
Doug Cowen, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2024
The use of celebrity imprints to build publishers’ brand recognition and sales became popular more than a decade ago.
—Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Ronin Rising will be available in two formats, a collector’s edition and a manga edition, via Abrams’s new Kana imprint.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
After 2005, Norton took another go at publishing the book, securing the rights from Harvard for a Norton imprint called Countryman Press.
—Eugene Linden, TIME, 21 Apr. 2024
The HarperCollins imprint Ecco, which is publishing the memoir, has also shared its first excerpt.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
That special frequency has allowed eclipses to leave deep imprints in human myth and history.
—Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2024
Reprinted courtesy of Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
This latest title in the imprint’s series revolves around themes of protest and freedom as the producers excavate deep Vietnam-era gems from such inspiring acts as Joe Henderson, Gary Bartz, Ran Blake, Azar Lawrence, A.K. Salim, and The Dungills.
—Ron Hart, SPIN, 17 Apr. 2024
Verb
But the impact the former Heisman Trophy-winning running back, who spellbound the nation as he was tried and ultimately acquitted for the gruesome murder of his ex-wife, left imprinted on America’s media environment will endure long beyond his death.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
This is part of the genius of Chris Claremont, the famed writer who imprinted his political and social consciousness onto the X-books from 1975 to 1991.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar. 2024
Sam Laurence’s promotion company imprint Dollop will also be included in the company, along with promoters Eve Thomas and Hayley Moss.
—Dave Brooks, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024
Copied from a newsletter published by students in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, the image features a Black man and an Arab man with nooses around their necks, held by a hand imprinted with the Star of David that has a dollar sign in the middle of the star.
—NBC News, 21 Feb. 2024
Elements of The Matrix came from the Wachowskis' days working at the Marvel comics imprint Razorline in 1993.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
This time, the ramp up included offseason conversations with players and staff, along with the time spring training allowed to establish culture and imprint himself on all-things-Padres.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024
Spot a political pattern emerging across the globe, pin its fortunes to yours (Clinton’s Third Way neoliberalism, Reagan’s cheerily fierce anti-Communism), and your legacy might reach far beyond Washington, your ideas imprinted in the hearts of billions.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2024
Later that evening, Adam Lee is in the plate room imprinting digital files, produced by editors and page designers, onto aluminum sheets.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024
Noun
Each flavor leaves a distinct imprint on a detector like IceCube.
—Doug Cowen, Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2024
The use of celebrity imprints to build publishers’ brand recognition and sales became popular more than a decade ago.
—Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Ronin Rising will be available in two formats, a collector’s edition and a manga edition, via Abrams’s new Kana imprint.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
After 2005, Norton took another go at publishing the book, securing the rights from Harvard for a Norton imprint called Countryman Press.
—Eugene Linden, TIME, 21 Apr. 2024
The HarperCollins imprint Ecco, which is publishing the memoir, has also shared its first excerpt.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2024
That special frequency has allowed eclipses to leave deep imprints in human myth and history.
—Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2024
Reprinted courtesy of Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
This latest title in the imprint’s series revolves around themes of protest and freedom as the producers excavate deep Vietnam-era gems from such inspiring acts as Joe Henderson, Gary Bartz, Ran Blake, Azar Lawrence, A.K. Salim, and The Dungills.
—Ron Hart, SPIN, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imprint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near imprint
Cite this Entry
“Imprint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprint. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imprint
2 of 2 noun
im·print
ˈim-ˌprint
1
: something imprinted or printed : impression
the imprint of a hippo's foot
2
: a publisher's name on the title page of a book
Medical Definition
1
: to fix indelibly or permanently (as on the memory)
2
: to subject to or induce by imprinting
an imprinted preference
a gene imprinted to be inactive when inherited from the mother
: to undergo imprinting
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share