to impress

Examples

• All

• If I can impress him, I'll feel amazing.

• What would you play to impress your girlfriend?

  Jubilee

• Number one is he tries to impress you with his skills.

• And she was so keen to impress my mom.

• I'm doing it to impress a lady.

  Broken City (2013)

• They're trying very hard to impress you, to please you.

  Robert Greene

• Once you understand who you're trying to impress, your life will change.

• Which means you're trying to impress someone.

  Play Dirty (2025)

• Now, how do you expect to impress Ellie with that attitude?

  Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)

• If I can impress him with my presentation, I might get a promotion.

Synonyms

A

to affect

vsto impress

∞ 3.0

To cause a change in a person or thing

focuses specifically on causing admiration or a strong emotional or cognitive impact

S

to strike

vsto impress

821 3.9

To suddenly cause a strong feeling or idea

is not necessarily sudden and focuses on making someone admire or react

M

to move

vsto impress

668 3.4

Make someone feel strong emotions

has a wider scope including admiration or thought change beyond emotion

A

to amaze

vsto impress

294 1.0

To surprise someone very much

tends to aim for admiration or strong effect rather than mere surprise

C

to charm

vsto impress

71 2.2

To please people by being friendly and attractive

aims to produce admiration or strong effect rather than just pleasant liking

I

to instill

vsto impress

• US

71 4.8

To gradually make someone feel, believe, or value something

works more immediately to create admiration or sudden strong effect

D

to dazzle

vsto impress

63 4.1

To amaze people with great skill, beauty, or clever ideas

is similar but often lacks the strong skill display or visual shine

W

to wow

vsto impress

• Informal

37 3.6

To make someone feel very surprised and pleased

has the same aim but with a less extreme or sudden effect

C

to captivate

vsto impress

19 4.2

To attract and hold someone's full attention

often makes someone admire but focuses more on lasting attention than admiration

E

to enchant

vsto impress

17 4.8

To make someone feel very pleased and amazed as if by magic

creates admiration or strong effect but without the magical or delightful tone

L

to leave in awe

vsto impress

1 4.4

To make someone feel very amazed and full of admiration

often produces admiration without the open wonder or speechlessness

S

to seduce an audience

vsto impress

1 6.7

Make an audience like you and pay close attention

is used more generally, not limited to performances or audience settings

B

to blow the pants off

vsto impress

• Informal

8.8

To make someone very impressed or be much better than something

is more general admiration without the extreme surpassing or informal tone

Antonyms

D

to disappoint

492 1.0

Fail to do what someone hoped for

B

to bore

15 1.4

To make someone feel tired or not interested by being dull when you speak

Idioms

D

dressed to impress

• Informal

1 5.6

Wearing smart, attractive clothes so other people notice you

Phrasal Verbs

I

to impress someone

3 2.6

To make someone admire or respect you

F

to fail to impress

2 4.1

Not make people think something is good or special

How Impressive

to astound

41 4.2

to amaze

294 1.0

to astonish

13 3.5

to impress

457 2.8

to interest

206 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology