Synonyms of impression

impression

noun

im-ˈpre-shən 

1

as in impress

a perceptible trace left by pressure

a shoe impression in the dirt that could lead police to the culprit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impress
• imprint
• print
• stamp
• mark
• dent
• sign
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• indent

2

as in idea

something imagined or pictured in the mind

had a vague impression that the guide would be female

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idea
• thought
• concept
• notion
• conception
• image
• picture
• perception
• abstraction
• cogitation
• observation
• reflection
• intellection
• assumption
• illusion
• hunch
• theory
• belief
• apprehension
• premonition
• mind's eye
• preconception
• prejudice
• delusion
• presentiment
• conviction
• hallucination
• guess
• hypothesis
• phantasm
• prepossession
• speculation
• conjecture
• surmise
• whim
• chimera
• vagary
• conclusion
• cognition
• conceit
• fancy
• inspiration
• caprice
• supposition
• kink
• freak
• brain wave
• brainstorm
• brainchild

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fact
• reality
• actuality

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun impression contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of impression are conception, concept, idea, notion, and thought. While all these words mean "what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan)," impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

When might concept be a better fit than impression?

While in some cases nearly identical to impression, concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be.

a society with no concept of private property

How are the words conception and concept related as synonyms of impression?

Conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result.

our changing conception of what constitutes art

When would idea be a good substitute for impression?

While the synonyms idea and impression are close in meaning, idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.

innovative ideas

my idea of paradise

When can notion be used instead of impression?

In some situations, the words notion and impression are roughly equivalent. However, notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

Where would thought be a reasonable alternative to impression?

Although the words thought and impression have much in common, thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of impression

But the secondary characters generally are not sufficiently developed to leave much of an impression. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025

Voters here haven't changed their impression of the party though, and polls show that Democrats struggle with that perception nationwide. —Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025

The same charisma, humor, and commitment to the bit helped Foster make a big impression on Broadway as the title character in Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). —Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025

At first, inmates had the impression that the extra cleaning and preparing being done this week was an in-house step to ensure the wellness of those who lived and worked at Columbia. —Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025