# impressionism

/ˌɪmˈpɹɛʃəˌnɪzəm/ (US) · /ɪmpɹˈɛʃənˌɪzəm/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impressionism
Updated: 2026-10-08

## Definition

a style of painting that uses small, thin brushstrokes to show how light changes. Instead of painting every detail, artists try to capture the feeling or 'impression' of a scene.

For teachers: a 19th-century art movement characterised by small, visible brushstrokes and an emphasis on the accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities. Often involves ordinary subject matter and the inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception.

## Examples

- The museum has a beautiful room dedicated to French impressionism.
- While critics initially hated the blurry style, impressionism eventually changed how the world viewed modern art.
- The artist's late works moved beyond traditional impressionism, experimenting with bolder colours and more abstract forms that prefigured the arrival of post-impressionist techniques.

## Antonyms

realism, academicism, classicism

## Usage notes

- When referring to the specific 19th-century movement, it is often capitalised as 'Impressionism'.

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