Word
impose
Phoneticsim·pose, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪmˈpoʊz/
UK/ɪmpˈəʊz/
Definitions
01to force a rule or tax
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law Formal · Academic
v. to use your authority to make sure a new law, tax, or rule is followed.
v. to establish or apply a rule, tax, or restriction by authoritative decree. Transitive; requires a direct object.
“The government decided to impose a new tax on luxury cars next year.”
“The international community threatened to impose strict economic sanctions if the regime refused to comply with the peace treaty terms.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'on' to indicate the group affected.
02to bother someone
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to ask for a favour that might be inconvenient or unfair to the other person.
v. to take unfair advantage of someone's time, hospitality, or good nature. Intransitive; almost always followed by 'on' or 'upon'.
“I don't want to impose on you, but could I stay on your sofa for one night?”
“She felt she was imposing on her hosts by staying an extra week, despite their repeated assurances that she was welcome.”
Usage
Usually functions as an intransitive verb followed by 'on' or 'upon'.
Teaching tip
In modern conversation, this is often used politely to avoid being a burden, such as 'I don't want to impose.'
03to force your ideas
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to make someone accept your opinions or way of life.
v. to force oneself or one's ideas and beliefs on others.
“Parents should not try to impose their own career dreams on their children.”
“The colonial administration attempted to impose its own legal system and cultural values on the indigenous population.”
Synonyms
04printing
C2 · Proficiency Computing Technical
v. to arrange pages in the correct order so they will be right when the paper is folded.
v. to arrange pages of type in the correct order on a printing surface so that they appear in sequence after the sheet is printed and folded.
“The software will automatically impose the pages for the magazine layout.”
“Before sending the file to the high-speed press, the technician must impose the digital plates to ensure the margins are consistent after binding.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “impose” in context.
Verb
01. impose constraint
“The new budget will impose constraints on how much the department can spend this year.”
verb + noun
02. impose demand
“The high-pressure job began to impose demands on his health and personal life.”
verb + noun
03. impose limitation
“The court decided to impose limitations on the company's ability to trade overseas.”
verb + noun
04. impose restriction
“The government had to impose restrictions on travel to prevent the spread of the virus.”
verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“For him the scene highlighted the contrast between the animal's wild nature and the human environment imposed upon it.” “But unlike Turkey, Pakistan's top export partner is instead the US, meaning it has more to lose from any economic punishment imposed by Washington.” “Canada has said it will impose new tariffs on US imports as a trade war between the neighbours heats up.” “In March 2025, Canada announced it was prepared to impose counter-tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S.” Etymology
The verb is derived from Late Middle English imposen (“to place, set; to impose (a duty, etc.)”), borrowed from Middle French imposer, and Old French emposer, enposer (“to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”) (modern French imposer), from im-, em- (variants of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + poser (“to place, put”), modelled after: Latin impōnere (“to place or set (something) on; (figurative) to impose (a duty, tax, etc.)”), from im- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’)) + pōnō (“to place, put; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂pó, h₂epó (“away; off”) + tḱey- (“to cultivate; to live; to settle”)); and * Latin impositus (“established; put upon, imposed”), the perfect passive participle of impōnō: see above. The noun is derived from the verb.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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