impinged; impinging
2
: to have an effect : make an impression
… waiting for the germ of a new idea to impinge upon my mind …—
Phyllis Bentley
Phyllis Bentley3
: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision
… I heard the rain impinge upon the earth …—James Joyce
James Joyce
plural -s
a
: a sharp collision : a striking or dashing against
b
: influence, effect, encroachment, infringement
travelers' growing concerns about the impingement upon their personal space and privacy—Rachel Musgrave
Rachel Musgravethe impingement of Russia's security aims upon interests of Britain or the U.S.—Allan Taylor
Allan TaylorExamples of impinge in a Sentence
Verb
hail was noisily impinging upon the car's exterior
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelsey Norman, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
The legal case, decided at an emergency hearing in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday morning, was brought by an Iranian fan who said FIFA’s block impinged freedom of speech, but the judge rejected that argument.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 16 June 2026
One is nothing more than a money laundering scheme, and the other impinges upon an open, fair and free market.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Likewise, Levine has said city staff has tried to discover the best way to address the important issue of residents needing cell phone service, without impinging on enjoyment of Wentworth Park.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impinge
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Verb
Funding that is distributed to governments or organizations working in repressive countries carries the grave risk of empowering security actors that not only impinge on the rights of refugees but also those of citizens.
—Kelsey Norman, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
The legal case, decided at an emergency hearing in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday morning, was brought by an Iranian fan who said FIFA’s block impinged freedom of speech, but the judge rejected that argument.
—Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 16 June 2026
One is nothing more than a money laundering scheme, and the other impinges upon an open, fair and free market.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Likewise, Levine has said city staff has tried to discover the best way to address the important issue of residents needing cell phone service, without impinging on enjoyment of Wentworth Park.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impinge
Cite this Entry
“Impinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impinge. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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