Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

impress

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of impress

a perceptible trace left by pressure
  • The stamp left a smudgy impress on the paper.
Synonyms of impress

impression, imprint, print, stamp
Words Related to impress

dent, hollow, indent, indentation, indenture

mark, sign

impress

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of impress

1 to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
  • The drummers impressed him with the intensity of their musical performance.
Synonyms of impress

affect, impact, influence, move, reach, strike, sway, tell (on), touch
Words Related to impress

carry away, dazzle, enrapture, enthrall (or enthral), entrance, ravish, transport

bias, color

inspire, stir

engage, interest, involve, penetrate, pierce

afflict, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, fluster, harass, harry, perturb, pester, plague, smite, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, wring

allure, attract, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate
Phrases Synonymous with impress

get to
Near Antonyms of impress

bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

underwhelm
2 to produce a vivid impression of
  • impressed the importance of safe driving habits by displaying photos of car accidents
Synonyms of impress

brand, engrave, etch, imprint, infix, ingrain (also engrain)
Words Related to impress

enroot, imbue, implant, inculcate, infuse, instill

fix, set, stamp
Near Antonyms of impress

blot out, erase, expunge, obliterate
3 to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
  • After weeks of nagging, they impressed her into going to the masquerade party.
Synonyms of impress

blackjack, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, drive, force, impel, make, muscle, obligate, oblige, press, pressure, sandbag
Words Related to impress

browbeat, bulldoze, bully, cow, hector, intimidate

blackmail, high-pressure, menace, shame, terrorize, threaten

drag

badger, harass, hound
Phrases Synonymous with impress

twist one's arm
Near Antonyms of impress

allow, let, permit

argue, convince, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)

Synonym Discussion of impress

affect, influence, touch, impress, strike, sway mean to produce or have an effect upon. affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.
    • the sight affected her to tears
influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).
    • our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing
touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.
    • plants touched by frost
    • his emotions were touched by her distress
impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.
    • only one of the plans impressed him
strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.
    • struck by the solemnity of the occasion
sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.
    • politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

Learn More about impress

  1. See words that rhyme with impress Dictionary: Definition of impress Spanish Central: Translation of impress Nglish: Translation of impress for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of impress for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up impress? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games