verb
impress
ihm-PREHS
verb
1
To have a strong, often admiring, effect on someone.
"Her confidence in the interview really impressed the panel."
"He tried to impress his date by cooking an elaborate three-course meal."
2
To fix an idea firmly in someone's mind; to emphasise something strongly.
"The coach impressed upon the team the importance of discipline."
How to Use Impress
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make someone admire you, or to firmly plant an idea in someone's mind.
Common pairings
impress someone
impress upon
hard to impress
Word Forms
impressed past tense, impresses plural, impresses singular
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Etymology
From Middle English impressen, from Latin imprimere ("to press into or upon"), from in- + premere ("to press").