impose

verb

im·​pose im-ˈpōz How to pronounce impose (audio)
imposed; imposing

transitive verb

1
a
: to establish or apply by authority
impose a tax
impose new restrictions
impose penalties
b
: to establish or bring about as if by force
those limits imposed by our own inadequaciesC. H. Plimpton
2
: to force into the company or on the attention of another
impose oneself on others
3
a
: place, set
b
: to arrange (type, pages, etc.) in the proper order for printing
4
: pass off
impose fake antiques on the public

intransitive verb

: to take unwarranted advantage of something
imposed on his good nature
imposer noun

Did you know?

The Latin imposui meant "put upon", and that meaning carried over into English in impose. A CEO may impose a new manager on one of the company's plants. A state may impose new taxes on luxury items or cigarettes, and the federal government sometimes imposes trade restrictions on another country to punish it. A polite apology might begin with "I hope I'm not imposing on you" (that is, "forcing my presence on you"). And a self-imposed deadline is one that you decide to hold yourself to.

Examples of impose in a Sentence

The judge imposed a life sentence. I needed to break free from the limits imposed by my own fear of failure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For one thing, the bill accelerates the phasing out of solar and wind projects via the clean energy production tax credit and investment tax credit, imposing much tighter deadlines for eligibility. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025 Barça’s starting eleven remains incredibly strong, but an injury in the backline, to Lewandowski, or to key players Pedri or Frenkie de Jong, could hamper the team’s ability to impose its ball-dominant possession style. Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 In May, negotiators between the two countries brought America’s tariffs on Chinese goods imposed this year way down – to 30%. David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025 Washington has also been pressing Beijing to stop buying Russian oil, with Trump threatening to impose secondary tariffs on China. Trevor Hunnicutt, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impose

Word History

Etymology

Middle French imposer, from Latin imponere, literally, to put upon (perfect indicative imposui), from in- + ponere to put — more at position

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of impose was in 1581

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impose. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

impose

verb
im·​pose im-ˈpōz How to pronounce impose (audio)
imposed; imposing
1
a
: to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
impose a fine
impose a tax
b
: to force somebody to accept or put up with
impose one's will on another
2
: to take unfair advantage
impose on a friend's good nature
imposer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on impose

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