Word
impressionable
Phoneticsim·pres·sion·able
US/ˌɪmˈpɹɛʃənəbəɫ/
UK/ɪmpɹˈɛʃənəbəl/
Definition
adj. easy to influence or change your mind. You use this to describe someone who is young or not very experienced and might copy what they see.
adj. easily influenced or susceptible to the impact of external factors. Often used to describe individuals who lack a strong sense of self or are in a vulnerable developmental stage.
Examples
“The young child is very impressionable.”
“Because teenagers are so impressionable, they often adopt the habits of their favorite celebrities without thinking.”
“The witness was described as highly impressionable, suggesting that her testimony might have been significantly shaped by the leading questions posed by the attorney during the cross-examination.”
Examples
simple
“The young child is very impressionable.”
contextual
“Because teenagers are so impressionable, they often adopt the habits of their favorite celebrities without thinking.”
complex
“The witness was described as highly impressionable, suggesting that her testimony might have been significantly shaped by the leading questions posed by the attorney during the cross-examination.”
Real-World Examples
“Whichever Pokémon game you play at that impressionable age, that’s the one that becomes a part of your personal nostalgic tapestry.” Etymology
From French impressionnable, equivalent to impression + -able. See also impressible.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/impressionable