imposition

noun

im·​po·​si·​tion ˌim-pə-ˈzi-shən 

1

: something imposed: such as

a

: an excessive or uncalled-for requirement or burden

b

: levy, tax

2

: the act of imposing

3

: deception

4

: the order of arrangement of imposed pages

Synonyms

• assessment
• duty
• impost
• levy
• tax

Examples of imposition in a Sentence

Your kids can stay with me the night you're away—it's really not an imposition.

the imposition of a life sentence on the defendant

the imposition of a tax on liquor

Recent Examples on the Web

How does the satirist work around the imposition, constructing her nasty, sarcastic world of minstrelsy and sharp tongues? —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2024

The resulting concentration of political power would destroy whatever is left of our democracy, clearing the way for the imposition of Project 2025’s extreme social agenda. —Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2024

Such a shift is a tricky proposition for the politics of the rural South, where many people, rich and poor alike, are skeptical of government imposition on the local economy. —Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2024

Restaurant and shop owners in the grey zone along the Seine have expressed frustration over the drop in business with the imposition of the riverside security cordon. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 22 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

imposition

noun

im·​po·​si·​tion ˌim-pə-ˈzish-ən 

1

: the act of imposing

2

a

: something (as a tax) that is imposed

b

: a demand or request that is very troublesome