impact

verb

im·pact | \ im-ˈpakt

impacted; impacting; impacts

Definition of impact

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging

b : to press together

2a : to have a direct effect or impact on : impinge on

b : to strike forcefully also : to cause to strike forcefully

intransitive verb

1 : to have an impact —often used with on

2 : to impinge or make contact especially forcefully

impact

noun

im·pact | \ ˈim-ˌpakt

Definition of impact (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an impinging or striking especially of one body against another

b : a forceful contact or onset also : the impetus communicated in or as if in such a contact

2 : the force of impression of one thing on another : a significant or major effect the impact of science on our society an environmental impact study

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Is impact a verb? More Example Sentences Learn More about impact

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Choose the Right Synonym for impact

Noun

impact, collision, shock, concussion mean a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things. impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other. the glass shattered on impact with the floor collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded. the collision damaged the vehicle shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force. the shock of falling rocks concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow. bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

Is impact a verb?

Verb

You may occasionally run into claims that impact is not a verb, or that it is somehow ill-suited to a role in this part of speech. Not only is that not the case, but the verb form of impact is much older than the noun form. It is possible that the word started attracting more displeasure when it began being widely used in a figurative sense as a transitive verb ("we expect the recession to impact the company"). The word is certainly a verb, although before using it in this manner in writing it is worth considering your audience, and whether members of it are likely to consider this use problematic.

Examples of impact in a Sentence

Verb

No one is sure how these changes will impact our relations with other countries. Both events negatively impacted her life. The tax increase will impact low-income families the most. The poor economy is impacting on small businesses. A crater was formed at the point where the meteor impacted the planet's surface.

Noun

No one could have survived such an impact. These warnings have been heard so often that they have lost their impact. The book had a huge impact when it first came out. We need to be concerned about the environmental impacts of all this construction. She expects to make an immediate impact at work.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Analysts were unsure how the unusual second election, largely unfolding over the summer holidays, would impact voter turnout, which typically nears 70 percent here. — Washington Post, "Israelis head to the polls with one question in mind: Should Netanyahu stay or go?," 18 Sep. 2019 Madison Wilmotte sued over how the accident has impacted her relationship with her husband. — NBC News, "Jury awards $17 million to 3 plaintiffs in deadly Amtrak derailment in Washington," 14 Sep. 2019 Hence people’s perception should be moulded to recognise and realise how deforestation or climate change impacts their daily life. — Gayathri D Naik, Quartz India, "India, leave those forests on the mountains alone, lest you want to drown," 13 Sep. 2019 The study wasn’t designed to prove whether or how specific factors might directly impact suicide rates. — Reuters, The Mercury News, "Suicide on the rise in US – especially in rural areas," 12 Sep. 2019 The first-of-its-kind report released Tuesday shows how gun violence impacts a vast number of Denver’s residents who are younger than 25 years old. — Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, "“This is a problem in Denver”: 700 young people killed, wounded or threatened with guns every year," 10 Sep. 2019 Compare the aggregated changes in voter behavior with actual election results, to understand whether and how the manipulation has impacted the final results. — Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, "MIT has a plan to measure the impact of 2016 election interference," 7 Sep. 2019 While sea turtles flourish in other areas, Florida is said to account for 90% of our country's sea turtle nests, via the Orlando Sentinel, and so many eggs have likely been impacted by the storm. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, "WATCH: Floridians, Here's What to Do If You See a Sea Turtle Washed Ashore After Hurricane Dorian," 5 Sep. 2019 From seafood to green tea, the tariffs have impacted Connecticut companies in a wide variety of industries and in ways not normally known to the general public. — Christopher Keating, courant.com, "Trade war with China is hitting Connecticut, and tea drinkers are paying more," 1 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Also, there is a potential for both permanent and temporary impacts to wetlands associated with erosion, sedimentation, disturbance of vegetation and other factors, the department found. — Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, "Manchester subdivision approved," 17 Sep. 2019 The Houthis claimed to have used 10 drones in the Saturday attack; US officials said that there were 17 points of impact. — BostonGlobe.com, "Saudi Arabia said Monday that Iranian weapons had been used in the aerial strikes over the weekend that interrupted much of the kingdom’s oil production. It also said the attacks had not been launched from Yemen, home of the Houthi rebel faction that has claimed responsibility.," 17 Sep. 2019 As far as the pricing is concerned, my view is that there may not be much of an impact if the government is contemplating a 1% listing on the Tadawul. — Shaji Mathew, Fortune, "What the Attacks on Saudi Aramco’s Main Oil Plant Mean for Its Massive IPO," 16 Sep. 2019 The Administration released satellite photos of the points of impact on seventeen targets, which indicated that the launch site would have been in the north or northwest—not from Yemen, to its south. — Robin Wright, The New Yorker, "In Saudi Arabia, World Oil Supplies Are in Flames," 16 Sep. 2019 Suggs, tight end Maxx Williams or wide receiver Michael Crabtree – made much of an impact on Sunday. — Bob Mcmanaman, azcentral, "Cardinals can't solve Lamar Jackson, find enough red-zone success in loss to Ravens," 15 Sep. 2019 Wisconsin officials will continue to watch for the impact of EHD this year, Long said. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A midge-borne disease has killed hundreds of deer in Iowa but so far Wisconsin hasn't been hit as hard," 11 Sep. 2019 Together, those studies are mapping the interplay of plants, people, and an environment that is now changing because of humanity's impact. — Tim Appenzeller, Science | AAAS, "Global warming has made iconic Andean peak unrecognizable," 11 Sep. 2019 The force of the impact formed large mounds of earth around the crater, sparked fires, and sent waves crashing toward shore. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "The Terrifying Final Hours of the Dinosaurs' Reign on Earth," 10 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impact.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.