Word
imposition
Phoneticsim·po·si·tion
US/ˌɪmpəˈzɪʃən/
UK/ɪmpəzˈɪʃən/
Definition
n. an unfair or annoying request that takes up someone's time or effort. You use this when someone asks you for a favor that feels like a burden.
n. the act of forcing an unwelcome burden or requirement on someone. Often refers to an unfair demand on one's time or resources.
Examples
“I hope my staying here isn't a big imposition.”
“She felt that asking her neighbor to drive her to the airport at 4 a.m. was too much of an imposition.”
“The new administrative requirements were seen as a significant imposition by the staff, who were already struggling to meet their primary research deadlines.”
Examples
simple
“I hope my staying here isn't a big imposition.”
contextual
“She felt that asking her neighbor to drive her to the airport at 4 a.m. was too much of an imposition.”
complex
“The new administrative requirements were seen as a significant imposition by the staff, who were already struggling to meet their primary research deadlines.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verb 'to be' and often followed by the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
Real-World Examples
“The main American opposition to the Online Streaming Act was over the imposition of taxes that would force streaming companies to pay for Canadian content.” “Donald Trump has announced he has paused the imposition of 50% tariffs on more goods from Canada.” Etymology
From Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/imposition