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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
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Newsweek the most obvious impact from the smoke would be hazy skies, which could contribute to visually beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the affected areas. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025 Trump’s deregulation and spending cuts, particularly via the Department of Government Efficiency, could also reduce the government’s costs and negate some of the impact of the tax cuts on the surging federal debt. David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 May 2025
Verb
Nigeria often faces seasonal floods, particularly impacting communities such as Mokwa along the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers. Taiwo Adebayo, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025 The White House ban could impact nearly 7,000 Harvard students whose futures have been flung into uncertainty. Katelyn Polantz, CNN Money, 29 May 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
  • The alert is in effect until 4:45 p.m. The storms may bring wind gusts of up to 40 mph and penny-sized hail (0.75 inches).
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 1 June 2025
  • The alert is in effect until 4:45 p.m. The storms are packing penny-sized hail (0.75 inches) and wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
    Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • The gravity of Planet Nine, which is speculated to be a super-Earth or modest ice giant, would be influencing the orbits of extreme TNOs — or so the hypothesis goes.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 30 May 2025
  • How has Curaçao’s musical culture influenced your creative process for this album?
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 30 May 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
  • Life offers a series of uncomfortable truths, often rooted not in surface-level perception but in our deeper human wiring.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • But the specter of A.I. misuse, and the imperfect systems used to root it out, may also be affecting students who are following the rules.
    Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The shock expressed by analysts and Jørgensen's surprise at his firing reveal catastrophic communication breakdown.
    Tima Bansal, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • Shekinah’s friends were then in for a shock when Sarper suggested a clause of his own for their theoretical prenup.
    Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 26 May 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
  • Young boys’ development seems to have been particularly affected.
    Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 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 5 Jun. 2025.

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