IMPRESS Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'impress' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of impress are affect , influence , strike , sway , and touch . While all these words mean "to produce or have an effect upon," impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect. // only one of the plans impressed him

Q: When is it sensible to use 'affect' instead of 'impress'?

The words affect and impress can be used in similar contexts, but affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction. // the sight affected her to tears

Q: When might 'influence' be a better fit than 'impress'?

Although the words influence and impress have much in common, influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior). // our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

Q: Where would 'strike' be a reasonable alternative to 'impress'?

The meanings of strike and impress largely overlap; however, strike , similar to but weaker than impress , may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation. // struck by the solemnity of the occasion

Q: When would 'sway' be a good substitute for 'impress'?

The words sway and impress are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action. // politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

Q: In what contexts can 'touch' take the place of 'impress'?

While the synonyms touch and impress are close in meaning, touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming. // plants touched by frost // his emotions were touched by her distress

impress 1 of 2

noun

Definition of impress next

as in impression

a perceptible trace left by pressure the stamp left a smudgy impress on the paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

impress

2 of 2

verb

im-ˈpres

as in to affect

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response impressed him with the intensity of their musical performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to engrave

to produce a vivid impression of impressed the importance of safe driving habits by displaying photos of horrific crashes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to compel

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure after weeks of nagging, they impressed her into going to the masquerade party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb impress differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of impress are affect, influence, strike, sway, and touch. While all these words mean "to produce or have an effect upon," impress stresses the depth and persistence of the effect.

only one of the plans impressed him

When is it sensible to use affect instead of impress?

The words affect and impress can be used in similar contexts, but affect implies the action of a stimulus that can produce a response or reaction.

the sight affected her to tears

When might influence be a better fit than impress?

Although the words influence and impress have much in common, influence implies a force that brings about a change (as in nature or behavior).

our beliefs are influenced by our upbringing

Where would strike be a reasonable alternative to impress?

The meanings of strike and impress largely overlap; however, strike, similar to but weaker than impress, may convey the notion of sudden sharp perception or appreciation.

struck by the solemnity of the occasion

When would sway be a good substitute for impress?

The words sway and impress are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sway implies the acting of influences that are not resisted or are irresistible, with resulting change in character or course of action.

politicians who are swayed by popular opinion

In what contexts can touch take the place of impress?

While the synonyms touch and impress are close in meaning, touch may carry a vivid suggestion of close contact and may connote stirring, arousing, or harming.

plants touched by frost

his emotions were touched by her distress

Examples of impress in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Meanwhile, the sheer scale of Chinese efforts both impresses and alarms. —

David Kilcullen, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020 Monk’s costume design impresses, as Elodie must use parts of her dress to engineer her way out of dire encounters with the dragon (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo) and the maze of its underground lair. —

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024

Verb

There are two types of people in this world: those who almost exclusively wear sweats on a flight and those who dress to impress at the airport. —

Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2024 Get The Recipe 28 of 33 No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars These no-bake treats are an easy way to impress for novice and masterful bakers alike heading to a tailgate. —

Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impress

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impress

Noun

Come here for impressions of major political figures ranging from the silly to the sublime, for some deep cutting satire or just observational wackiness.

Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
But still, on first and last impressions, the GLC 350e undoubtedly manages to straddle a perfect balance of practicality, luxury, and tech that few crossovers can hope to match.

Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Definition of impression

Cite this Entry

Style

“Impress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impress. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Last Updated: 2 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

feign

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Synonyms of impress

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Examples of impress in a Sentence

Thesaurus Entries Near impress

Cite this Entry