impinge

verb

im·​pinge im-ˈpinj How to pronounce impinge (audio)
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 mindPhyllis Bentley
3
: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision
I heard the rain impinge upon the earthJames Joyce
impingement noun

Examples of impinge in a Sentence

hail was noisily impinging upon the car's exterior
Recent Examples on the Web Powerful foreign militaries obviously impinge on national security, but other threats do, as well. Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2024 Evan Williams The sloping rear can impinge on headroom for some. Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 18 July 2024 Swimming, then, was seen as a form of physical activity that didn’t impinge on women’s supposedly innate femininity. Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024 The justices also said that since Elster was still free to use the phrase, his free speech rights were not impinged upon. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for impinge 

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of impinge was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near impinge

Cite this Entry

“Impinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impinge. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

impinge

verb
im·​pinge im-ˈpinj How to pronounce impinge (audio)
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 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impinge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!