impressive

adjective

im·​pres·​sive im-ˈpre-siv 

: making or tending to make a marked impression : having the power to excite attention, awe, or admiration

an impressive display of skill

impressively adverb

impressiveness noun

Synonyms of impressive

• emotional
• exciting
• excitable

Choose the Right Synonym for impressive

moving, impressive, poignant, affecting, touching, pathetic mean having the power to produce deep emotion.

moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy.

a moving appeal for contributions

impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction.

an impressive list of achievements

poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities.

a poignant documentary on the homeless

affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos.

an affecting deathbed reunion

touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion.

the touching innocence in a child's eyes

pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt.

pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

Examples of impressive in a Sentence

He has an impressive vocabulary for a 10-year-old.

Her first performance was very impressive.

He has an impressive manner.

Recent Examples on the Web

More recently, Tatham worked at Universal Creative for more than a decade and was the executive creative director of Epic Universe, the company’s impressive new Florida park. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Silicon Valley has built some of the world’s most impressive and valuable companies, with names like Apple, Alphabet, and Meta, worth trillions of dollars apiece. — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

The photo is particularly impressive because it was captured on an iPhone camera, as opposed to the more traditional Nikon cameras that astronauts sometimes use to capture Earth during their time aboard the ISS. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Historical evidence suggests that the most impressive innovations generate the biggest bubbles. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for impressive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive
• regressive

Kids Definition

impressive

adjective

im·​pres·​sive im-ˈpres-iv 

: having the power to impress the mind or feelings

an impressive speech

impressively adverb

impressiveness noun