impinged; impinging
2
: to have an effect : make an impression
waiting for the germ of a new idea to impinge upon my mind—
Phyllis Bentley
Phyllis Bentley3
: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision
I heard the rain impinge upon the earth—James Joyce
James JoyceExamples of impinge in a Sentence
hail was noisily impinging upon the car's exterior
Recent Examples on the Web
Blakeney, who left Universal last spring, specializes in equipping theme parks with all of the unsexy infrastructure required to function—toilets, cellphone towers—as well as ensuring that none of it impinges on the illusion.
—Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Workers aren’t necessarily worried about AI impinging on their jobs – a large majority, 80%, view AI technologies, including gen AI, as more of an opportunity than a threat.
—Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Democrats are apoplectic, accusing Trump of impinging on the Fed’s independence.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 26 Aug. 2025
This places a ton of pressure on the shoulders, in particular on the rotator cuff muscles, which can get impinged (so, compressed or irritated) from that positioning.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impinge
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Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Workers aren’t necessarily worried about AI impinging on their jobs – a large majority, 80%, view AI technologies, including gen AI, as more of an opportunity than a threat.
—Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Democrats are apoplectic, accusing Trump of impinging on the Fed’s independence.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 26 Aug. 2025
This places a ton of pressure on the shoulders, in particular on the rotator cuff muscles, which can get impinged (so, compressed or irritated) from that positioning.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impinge
Cite this Entry
“Impinge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impinge. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impinge
verb
im·pinge
im-ˈpinj 
impinged; impinging
1
: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision
sound waves impinge on the eardrums
2
: encroach sense 1, infringe
impinge on another's rights
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