impress

1 of 4

verb (1)

im·​press im-ˈpres 

impressed; impressing; impresses

transitive verb

1

a

: to affect especially forcibly or deeply : gain the admiration or interest of

Her honesty impressed us.

b

: to produce a vivid impression of

The doctor tried to impress the importance of exercise on patients. = The doctor tried to impress on patients the importance of exercise. [=tried to make patients understand that exercise is important]

2

a

: to apply with pressure so as to imprint

b

: to produce (something, such as a mark) by pressure

a design impressed on the book's cover

c

: to mark by or as if by pressure or stamping

3

: transfer, transmit

intransitive verb

: to produce an impression

He was dressed to impress.

impressibility

im-ˌpre-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

impressible

im-ˈpre-sə-bəl 

adjective

impress

2 of 4

noun (1)

im·​press ˈim-ˌpres 

also

im-ˈpres 

1

: a characteristic or distinctive mark : stamp

… the impress of a fresh and vital intelligence is stamped … in his work.

—Lytton Strachey

2

: impression, effect

have an impress on history

3

: the act of impressing

4

a

: a mark made by pressure : imprint

b

: an image of something formed by or as if by pressure

especially : seal

c

: a product of pressure or influence

impress

3 of 4

verb (2)

im·​press im-ˈpres 

impressed; impressing; impresses

transitive verb

1

: to levy or take by force for public service

especially : to force into naval service

2

a

: to procure or enlist by forcible persuasion

b

: force

… impressed him into a white coat for the Christmas festivities.

—Nancy Hale

impress

4 of 4

noun (2)

im·​press ˈim-ˌpres 

also

im-ˈpres 

: impressment

Synonyms of impress

Verb (1)

• affect
• influence
• impact
• touch

Choose the Right Synonym for impress

affect, influence, touch, impress, strike, sway mean to produce or have an effect upon.

affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

the sight affected her to tears

influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

plants touched by frost

his emotions were touched by her distress

impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

only one of the plans impressed him

strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

struck by the solemnity of the occasion

sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

Examples of impress in a Sentence

Verb (1)

impressed him with the intensity of their musical performance

impressed the importance of safe driving habits by displaying photos of horrific crashes

after weeks of nagging, they impressed her into going to the masquerade party

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The six players who arrived before the start of the season did not have a single minute of Premier League experience to their name, and only Ladislav Krejci has impressed so far, with even the Czech defender’s levels dipping in the last two games. —Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025

This cake is dressed to impress and deserves to be baked from scratch. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025

Noun

The push for fully autonomous systems, agents that plan, reason, and act without human oversight, has created an automation theater where demos impress, but production systems disappoint. —Joel Hron, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025

Every candle in the collection impresses, but Côté Maquis stands out with an elusive, intoxicating aroma that’s hard to describe yet instantly captivating. —Michael Stefanov, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Latin impressus, past participle of imprimere, from in- + premere to press — more at press

Verb (2)

in- entry 2 + press entry 3

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Noun (1)

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1602, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impress

• abbess
• abscess
• access
• address
• assess
• caress
• confess
• depress
• digress
• distress
• egress
• excess

Kids Definition

impress

1 of 3 verb

im·​press im-ˈpres 

1

: to produce by stamping, pressing, or printing

2

a

: to fix in or on one's mind : produce a vivid impression of

the lesson was impressed on their minds

b

: to affect strongly or deeply

I am impressed by what you've done

also : to gain the admiration or interest of

tries to impress people

impress

2 of 3 noun

im·​press ˈim-ˌpres 

1

: the act of impressing

2

: a mark made by pressure

3

: a characteristic or special mark

4

: impression sense 2b

impress

3 of 3 verb

im·​press im-ˈpres 

: to force into naval service

impressment

-mənt

noun