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
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Recent Examples of impressionist
Staff Report, Daily News, 26 June 2025
The funniest part about that is Lisa Ann Walter is actually a really exceptional impressionist.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 16 Apr. 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
O’Neal is known for both his neo-impressionist paintings and for large-scale installations of souvenir caricature figurines reflecting on the historic commodification of Black creativity.
—Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impressionist
Noun
Rich Little, legendary impressionist, 6 p.m. June 29 (special event: tinyurl.com/bdevetyn).
—Staff Report, Daily News, 26 June 2025
The funniest part about that is Lisa Ann Walter is actually a really exceptional impressionist.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Photograph by Evelyn Freja A stroke of inspiration led the boundary-pushing vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater to pair up with the impressionist pianist Bill Charlap.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
O’Neal is known for both his neo-impressionist paintings and for large-scale installations of souvenir caricature figurines reflecting on the historic commodification of Black creativity.
—Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impressionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impressionist
Noun
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The French company was Europe's best performer in 2025 after publishing surprisingly strong data for a late-stage trial for an ulcerative colitis medicine.—
Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
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And to consider her as existing separate from her creators is like imagining that the ventriloquist dummy Charlie McCarthy could have a career, and an agent, separate from the real performer Edgar Bergen.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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On March 24, the space brings together Maria Somerville and Joanne Robertson, impressionistic artists who broke out with mesmerizing records last year.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
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While the lengthy interviews with Yo are gentle and tasteful (including scenes of her in the nude), the movie’s editing in more impressionistic scenes takes on the same semi-abstract qualities as Fitch’s representations, which seem to live halfway between the material and the emotional.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Clark would be the worst actor in the world.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy accepted Andor‘s win for best science fiction television series, with Diego Luna wining best actor and Stellan Skarsgard winning best supporting actor.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Perhaps a more perverse, expressionistic route is required.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
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Like a director manning a film dolly, Kehlmann pans from one perspective to another—including those of Greta Garbo and Louise Brooks, two glamorous actors whom Pabst discovered—to give an expressionistic sense of the people and the forces shaping his life.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The great room — with the river as a backdrop — is anchored by a custom entertainer’s bar and built-ins, a cozy gas fireplace and a hydraulic hideaway television.—
David Caraccio
March 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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Horschel’s abilities as a golfer, entertainer and big personality have served him well, earning him 11 professional wins and more than $40 million in earnings.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The production is naturalistic, with bits of expressionist neo-noir worked in when a crime is being described.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
One of music’s greatest cosmic ironies is how ground zero for the expressionist rage known as death metal is located in easy driving distance from the Most Magical Place on Earth.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
19 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Though Cox has a small role and Panettiere returns, the lack of legacy characters makes this feel like a cheap imitator at times.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
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For decades, Gallup’s company and its imitators improved their techniques.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The restaurant was once filled with neon lights, roller skating wait staff and a DJ booth complete with Elvis Presley impersonator, Vader said, describing eating there as an iconic Boise experience.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
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To be fair, enlisting an impersonator to attend an awards show in their place certainly feels like the kind of high-concept goof someone like Carrey — who doesn’t make a ton of public appearances — might do.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impressionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impressionist. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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