1
as in to affect
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response
impressed him with the intensity of their musical performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to engrave
to produce a vivid impression of
impressed the importance of safe driving habits by displaying photos of horrific crashes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
after weeks of nagging, they impressed her into going to the masquerade party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 impress
Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
All Emmitt Finnie has done is impress at every Red Wings prospect event since he was drafted.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026
Thoreau wasn’t impressed by the laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable, Henley notes.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impress
Noun
Nor did the Stryker impress in its Iraq War debut.
—Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
All Emmitt Finnie has done is impress at every Red Wings prospect event since he was drafted.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Fely also impressed during Pro Day last week, managing a monster 38 reps on the bench press.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026
Thoreau wasn’t impressed by the laying of the transatlantic telegraph cable, Henley notes.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impress
Noun
-
Moody and sleek, the Ritz-Carlton, Nomad is also designed to make an impression—and not just because of its 50-story sway.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
But visually the scorebug will take some getting used to, and its first impression on Thursday was not good.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The proportion of rye to wheat flour can also vary widely, affecting both texture and nutrient content.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Spinosad, although organically certified, can be toxic to bees, and pyrethrins—derived from plants—can affect a wide range of insects.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Less than six months after Cesar Chavez died, his family members were in Santa Ana engraving their names in cement during a groundbreaking for Cesar Chavez Continuation High School.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Looking ecstatic and dazed, Arkapaw, who’s also the first Black director of photography to win an Oscar, ascended the platform to get her statue engraved beside her young son.—
Brittany Levine Beckman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even those who advocated for conservative positions were compelled to make their case in language amenable to the liberal sensibility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Across a wide range of practice areas, from corporate law and litigation to emerging fields influenced by technology and global policy, today’s most influential lawyers are distinguished by their vision, dedication, and ability to adapt in a rapidly changing environment.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Violet tones, influenced by interest in space and futuristic aesthetics, and orange hues inspired by natural landscapes and photography trends are both gaining attention, according to the report.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some had characteristic ticks etched along their outer edges, while others looked like small sticks cut lengthwise, with a flat and a curved side—forms that their makers crafted deliberately to produce random outcomes.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
-
At a minimum, the MATCH Act would enact a China-wide ban on the export of DUV machines and tools required to etch the pattern drawn by the machines.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the mid-twentieth century, the US government experimented on poor Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama, to understand the life-cycle of syphilis; the men were coerced into remaining in their study for decades despite the fact that the disease’s cure, penicillin, had been discovered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And the folks for whom Live Nation is able to really coerce a lot of their economic opportunities, the venues that are afraid to get sideways with Live Nation.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Higher diesel and jet fuel prices are impacting the cost of shipping, meaning everything from food and clothes to toys is subject to higher prices.—
Austin Carter,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Around 450,000 Kentuckians currently participate in the expansion, but health care advocacy groups say changes to the program could impact all Medicaid patients, not just those covered under ACA.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impress. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
