Definition of impressionistnext
as in performer
a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect a celebrated impressionist who can do enough rapid-fire imitations to populate an entire stage with characters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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impressionist

2 of 2

adjective

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 impressionist
Noun
Mimics tells the story of Sam, a struggling impressionist who makes a pact with a wicked puppet. — Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026 The actor and impressionist, who has been with the show since 1989, has no idea what happens after that. — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Don't miss the renowned impressionist collection with paintings by Monet and van Gogh. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026 The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace appears like a post-impressionist vision, its beige crown backdropped by the freckled green of the Maniyagarh hills. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impressionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impressionist
Noun
  • Two-time Grammy-winning superstar Carpenter most recently received her first Primetime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category recognizing her work as an EP and performer on The Muppet Show.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Cage had meant his organ piece to enjoy the indeterminacy of neither the performer nor the audience knowing how long the score, in eight parts, would last.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Inevitably, much of that knowledge was still undigested and poorly sorted; as a result the planet, viewed from Europe, must have seemed a rather impressionistic and formless place.
    — Ian Tattersall, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026
  • As Pattinson spends a long night trying to rescue his brother, the Safdies weave a nightmarish, impressionistic vision of New York that ranks among the most unsettling cinematic depictions of the city.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • All artists — starting with the actors, then music, then writers, then directors — have to figure out what their image is worth and negotiate that.
    — Lane Brown, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Despite concluding the actor’s death was accidental, authorities continue investigating whether anyone might be criminally responsible for providing her with a lethal substance.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Raimi and his collaborators go all out, ramping up the expressionistic filmmaking and embracing a clearer tone of comical absurdity.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026
  • In his songs, the English language turned woolier and more expressionistic; musical space-time distended and stretched.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • By the way, there were a high number of Kansas City fans in their red jerseys in the stands but Taylor Swift, the superstar singer/entertainer who is married to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, didn’t attend.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Of course, one entertainer who isn’t in that category would seem to be a natural fit for Arrowhead — the one who has married into Kansas City’s aristocracy.
    — Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Soon, his neo-expressionist paintings gained popularity, and they were featured in museums and galleries across the world.
    — Nicole Harris, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026
  • For nearly 50 years, illustrator and comic book creator Bill Sienkiewicz has burned, splattered and slashed his way across the page with his expressionist approach to visual storytelling.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • The Dadaists used this gleefully and compulsively (see René Clair and Francis Picabia’s wacky Entr’Acte); so, famously, did Hideo Nakata in Y2K hit The Ring and countless imitators.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The account has amassed over 10,000 followers, inspiring imitator accounts.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In this case, that’s Sarah Jones, a hugely adept impersonator of a variety of New York characters who, in 2006, won a special Tony for her one-person summoning of nearly all of Queens in Bridge & Tunnel.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • An impersonator may have tricked a Las Vegas nightclub last year, but those at the park Tuesday appeared convinced of their brush with Bieber.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impressionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impressionist. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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