impinge

verb

im·​pinge im-ˈpinj 

impinged; impinging

intransitive verb

1

: encroach, infringe

impinge on other people's rights

2

: to have an effect : make an impression

waiting for the germ of a new idea to impinge upon my mind

—Phyllis Bentley

3

: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision

I heard the rain impinge upon the earth

—James Joyce

impingement

im-ˈpinj-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• bang
• bash
• bump
• collide
• crash
• hit
• impact
• knock
• ram
• slam
• smash
• strike
• swipe
• thud

Examples of impinge in a Sentence

hail was noisily impinging upon the car's exterior

Recent Examples on the Web

Rothman said most of these small scale, highly creative riffs on the artist's life and work often don't significantly impinge upon Swift's brand or bottom line. —Chloe Veltman, NPR, 26 Apr. 2024

In the memo, Shah said employees should be prepared to work longer hours and not be afraid to let work impinge on their personal lives. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin impingere, from in- + pangere to fasten, drive in — more at pact

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing impinge

• impinge on/upon

Kids Definition

impinge

verb

im·​pinge im-ˈpinj 

impinged; impinging

1

: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision

sound waves impinge on the eardrums

2

: encroach sense 1, infringe

impinge on another's rights

impingement

-mənt 

noun