impress
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to make someone feel admiration or respect for you because of your skills or qualities.
v.to affect someone strongly and favourably, typically by demonstrating a high level of competence or character.
Simple“He tried to impress his new boss by arriving early every morning.”
In context“The young architect managed to impress the panel with her innovative approach to sustainable urban housing.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice followed by 'by' or 'with'.
PitfallI was impressed from his English. I was impressed by his English.Use the preposition 'by' or 'with' after the passive form 'impressed'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make someone understand how important something is.
v.to fix an idea or fact deeply in the mind; to present something forcibly to someone's attention.
Simple“My father always tried to impress on me the value of hard work.”
In context“The safety officer sought to impress upon the staff the absolute necessity of following the new emergency protocols.”
UsageCommonly used in the pattern 'impress something on/upon someone'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to press a mark or pattern into a surface.
v.to produce a mark, image, or indentation by applying physical pressure to a surface.
Simple“The king used his ring to impress his seal into the hot wax.”
In context“The ancient artisan would impress intricate geometric patterns into the damp clay before firing the vessel in the kiln.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to force someone to join the army or navy.
v.to compel someone into government service, particularly military or naval service, by force.
Simple“In the past, men were often impressed into the navy against their will.”
In context“During the Napoleonic Wars, the British navy frequently impressed merchant sailors to maintain their fleet's manpower.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is historical; in modern contexts, use 'conscript' or 'draft' instead.
Synonymsconscriptdraft - 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a mark made by pressing something onto a surface.
n.a mark or indentation produced by pressure; a characteristic stamp or seal.
Simple“The heavy ring left a deep impress on his finger.”
In context“The poet noted how the passage of time had left its unmistakable impress upon the ruins of the old city.”
Synonyms
“Photograph: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images Juventus secured a 1-0 away win against newly promoted Frosinone , but failed to impress in their opening match of the season.”
“With a new manager comes a new opportunity to impress, and Trey Nyoni has taken that chance in pre-season .”
From Middle English impressen, from Latin impressus, perfect passive participle of imprimere (“to press into or upon, stick, stamp, or dig into”), from in (“in, upon”) + premere (“to press”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.