1
as in distinguished
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner
the president of the bank is exactly the sort of imposing figure that one might expect
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in magnificent
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception
the corporation's imposing headquarters were designed by one of the nation's cutting-edge architects
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in levying
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
that state now imposes a fine for text messaging while driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imposing
Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Proposals ranged from turning the block into a public pavilion to adding a fabric facade around the current building to give it a less imposing look.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
The House measure, filed late Thursday just days before the state’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund is set to expire, would extend the multibillion-dollar account through 2030 but restrict its use primarily to natural disasters while imposing new reporting and oversight requirements.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imposing
Adjective
Drafted in the second round, 50th overall, last year out of TCU, the physically imposing, 6-foot-6, 250-pound lefty debuted at the Single-A level in April.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Proposals ranged from turning the block into a public pavilion to adding a fabric facade around the current building to give it a less imposing look.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
Verb
Grand but never imposing, the Hyvaa bed frame is the opposite of bulky.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
The House measure, filed late Thursday just days before the state’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund is set to expire, would extend the multibillion-dollar account through 2030 but restrict its use primarily to natural disasters while imposing new reporting and oversight requirements.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imposing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imposing
Adjective
-
Not only did the 18-year-old make his senior debut for Chelsea in the FA Cup away to Hull City, but a few days earlier, without fans knowing, the forward took on the distinguished role of club mascot, Stamford the Lion.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Kristen Monroe is the chancellor’s distinguished professor and director of the Ethics Center at the University of California at Irvine.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When the best that Dallas has to offer — from the architect to the builder to the landscaping and beyond — collaborate, the result is a contemporary home that feels timeless, restorative and magnificent.—
Allie Beth Allman & Associates,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
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Benito’s magnificent staging mirrored our strength and encouraged us to stay in the fight, in whatever language speaks to our hearts.—
Lara N. Dotson-Renta,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Here, infill was encouraged by not levying development impact fees on development.—
Nico Calavita,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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The state’s prisons unconstitutionally coerced labor by levying severe punishments — including solitary confinement — against prisoners who refused to work, Denver District Court Judge Sarah Wallace found in the 61-page ruling.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Queen Emma was the first to wear the sapphire tiara in official portraits and solemn ceremonies, setting a precedent that her successors respected.—
Marta Martínez Tato,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians, who may reflect, fast and attend special church services.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Other artists have tried to tackle this melodrama by grounding us in specific characters’ perspectives, or by heightening the performances, but Fennell embraces the story’s fundamental absurdism by giving us absurd and often glorious images.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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That grandiosity simmers down into terrifying chase soundtracks and menacing hunter's heartbeats as the movie continues, but the after-image of those glorious strings lingers through the rest of the franchise.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In one instance, Cordero met with a foreign national and provided the individual with a passport and visa allowing travel to the United States in exchange for cash, according to charging documents.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2026
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New infrastructure, such as landing pads and charging stations, will support this growth.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lee Martino’s choreography, like the production as a whole, is at its best when observing decorous constraints.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Paul has to buck the prevailing suffragist movement led by Carrie Chapman Catt, whose methods are more decorous and patient.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Set the scene The approach to the majestic Mountain House from nearby New Paltz, NY, takes you up a winding mountain road with forests on either side.—
Katie Mathews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Feb. 2026
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Her mochi skins are bouncy and soft, with a chewy texture so majestic that the stretchability rivals the most dramatic of cheese pulls.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imposing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imposing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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