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impact

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word impact different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of impact are collision, concussion, and shock. While all these words mean "a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things," impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other.

the glass shattered on impact with the floor

When is it sensible to use collision instead of impact?

The meanings of collision and impact largely overlap; however, collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded.

the collision damaged the vehicle

In what contexts can concussion take the place of impact?

In some situations, the words concussion and impact are roughly equivalent. However, concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow.

bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

When could shock be used to replace impact?

The synonyms shock and impact are sometimes interchangeable, but shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force.

the shock of falling rocks

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of impact
Noun
Sly Stone, a funk pioneer whose influence and impact as leader of the musical group Sly and the Family Stone was as enduring as his career was brief, died Monday in Los Angeles. Rob Tannenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 Topline Best Buy on Thursday lowered full-year forecasts for profits and sales for the retailer’s fiscal year 2026, citing likely impacts of tariffs on business, becoming the latest company to flag concerns and cut projections, citing uncertainty over U.S. tariffs. Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Verb
At Wimbledon this year, the spotlight swings to the other side of Los Angeles, to an unforgettable Bruin, a sports hero who impacted so many lives. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025 Wary travelers, visa woes Trump’s policies appear to have already impacted travelers. Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for impact
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impact
Noun
  • From 1988 to 2023, wildlife collisions in the U.S. killed 76 people and destroyed 126 aircraft.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 June 2025
  • Daniel David Parra, 21, was killed in a collision between his Kawasaki motorcycle and a gray Toyota RAV4 SUV in the 3100 block of West Sunrise Boulevard, Lauderhill police said Sunday.
    David Fleshler, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • This warning is in effect until 6 p.m. How to react when facing a lightning hazard?
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2025
  • In effect, a millionaire pays a smaller share of their income into Social Security than a middle-class teacher or nurse.
    Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • This generation is growing up in a world where digital transactions are the norm, influencing the development of financial products and services.
    Rupert Lee-Browne, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Mike McCabe, the veteran gaming industry executive who heads the EWC Foundation, explained how gamesmanship would influence every aspect of the event.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • Since bumping Robinson into the first unit and bringing Josh Hart off the bench, New York is 2-1, with a chance to tie the series at three apiece and force a decisive Game 7 back at The Garden on Monday.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
  • Most passengers receive compensation equal to double the one-way price of the flight they were bumped from and a seat on the next available flight.
    Christopher Elliott The Travel Troubleshooter, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • Their lemon trees rooted just fine and have already grown into little trees this year.
    Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2025
  • It’s been a hell of a run for INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who took over a football club sixth in the Premier League and have currently rooted them in 15th.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • In Kevin Day’s case, the initial sense of shock eventually gave way to tears in, of all places, his local supermarket.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • Narrating what happened with the boy in the autopsy room turned out to be wholly different from experiencing it; the riptide shock of that moment slowed to a largo of painful excavation.
    Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Through her lectures and art, Sangeetha champions faith, inclusivity, and the spiritual significance of cultures, striving to create a more compassionate, understanding, and harmonious world.
    Benjamin Liong Setiawan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Just take a hike along the tundra regions of Western Canada, and the significance of that phrase will become clear to you.
    Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Some have said that the dollar’s reserve currency status may be affected, perhaps diminished somewhat – which would have many ramifications, including a rise in the cost to the U.S. for financing its deficits.
    George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Not only do the tariffs affect the suppliers of brands like Princess Polly, but the market could also affect how viewers perceive these hauls.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impact.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impact. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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