impressionistic

adjective

im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpre-shə-ˈni-stik 

1

or impressionist

im-ˈpre-sh(ə-)nist 

, often Impressionistic : of, relating to, or constituting impressionism

2

: based on or involving impression as distinct from expertise or fact

… intuitions and impressionistic anecdotal accounts …

—Sidney Hook

impressionistically

(ˌ)im-ˌpre-shə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of impressionistic in a Sentence

He wrote an impressionistic account of the battle scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

That lurid fable was followed by 2023’s Pictures of Ghosts, an impressionistic documentary that told the parallel stories of Mendonça Filho’s life in movies and Recife’s decaying cinemas. —Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026

The animation — hand-painting on canvas and glass render the hypnotic water effects — feels impressionistic, like a work of fine art come to life. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026

Start your day at the Musée d’Orsay, where dreamy, impressionistic Monets and van Goghs will inspire cloudlike blush and ballet slipper-pink lips. —Loren Savini, Allure, 10 Mar. 2026

On March 24, the space brings together Maria Somerville and Joanne Robertson, impressionistic artists who broke out with mesmerizing records last year. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for impressionistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic

Kids Definition

impressionistic

adjective

im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpresh-ə-ˈnis-tik 

1

or impressionist

im-ˈpresh-(ə-)nəst 

often capitalized : of or relating to impressionism

an impressionistic style of painting

2

: based on or involving one's impressions rather than knowledge or facts

impressionistic descriptions

impressionistically

(ˌ)im-ˌpresh-ə-ˈnis-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb