impressed
UK /ɪmˈprest/ US /ɪmˈprest/ Syllables: im-pressed
Quick answer
Feeling admiration or respect for something or someone.
Impressed describes the feeling of admiring someone or something because of their quality, skill or effort. You can be impressed by a talent, a result or a kind act. The word is usually followed by by or with: impressed by her speed, impressed with the view. It is a positive word, though "not impressed" is a polite or sharp way to say you are unimpressed. Impressed is also the past form of the verb impress, so it appears in sentences such as "The speech impressed everyone."
"I was really impressed by how quickly she learned the software."Meanings
- Feeling admiration or respect for someone or something.
- Having had a strong effect on your mind or opinion, often followed by by or with.
Example sentences
-
"I was impressed by her excellent English."
Level B2, Meaning 1
-
"The teacher was impressed with his progress."
Level B2, Meaning 1
-
"We were all deeply impressed by the show."
Level B2, Meaning 1
-
"He did not look impressed by the offer."
Level B2, Meaning 2
Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Look-alikes and common mistakes
- impressive : Impressive describes the thing that earns admiration. Impressed describes the person who feels it.
- unimpressed : Unimpressed means not admiring, or not affected by something.
Word family and forms
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "impressed".
- deeply impressed
- very impressed
- impressed by
- impressed with
- favorably impressed
- suitably impressed
Origin
Impressed is the past form of impress, used as an adjective. Impress comes from Middle English impressen and Latin imprimere, to press into or onto, which is built from in-, meaning in or upon, and premere, to press. The picture is of a mark pressed into something soft, as a seal is pressed into wax, and later of an effect left on the mind.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.
Usage notes
Usually followed by "by" or "with," as in "impressed by her work" or "impressed with the results".
How to remember it
Impressed has press inside, like a stamp pressed into soft wax. Something good leaves a mark on your mind.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "I was _____ by her excellent English."
Answer: impressed
In your own words, what does "impressed" mean?
Feeling admiration or respect for something or someone.
Learn next at B2
- impulse The change in an object's momentum caused by a force acting on it over...
- incentive Something that encourages a person to do something, often a reward.
- incident An event, especially one that is unusual, unpleasant, or noteworthy.
- incompatible Not able to exist, work, or combine together successfully.
- increasingly More and more as time passes.
- indicative Serving as a sign of something, suggesting what is likely true; also,...
Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Report a mistake on this page