impress
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To affect strongly and often favourably.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihmprehsSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪmpˈɹɛs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
To make an impression, to be impressive.
transitive
To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably.
To produce (a mark, stamp, image, etc.); to imprint (a mark or figure upon something).
Mark or stamp with or as if with pressure
“To make a batik, you impress a design with wax.”
figurative
To fix deeply in the mind; to present forcibly to the attention, etc.; to imprint; to inculcate.
transitive
To seize or confiscate (property) by force.
noun
The act of impressing, or taking by force for the public service; compulsion to serve; also, that which is impressed.
The act of coercing someone into government service
Characteristic; mark of distinction; stamp.
An impression; an impressed image or copy of something.
An impression on the mind, imagination etc.
A stamp or seal used to make an impression.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.
More ways to use impress
- “To make a batik, you impress a design with wax.”verb
- “This child impressed me as unusually mature.”verb
- “The young chess player impressed her audience.”verb
Share your sentence
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “impress” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.