Noun
No one could have survived such an impact.
These warnings have been heard so often that they have lost their impact.
The book had a huge impact when it first came out.
We need to be concerned about the environmental impacts of all this construction.
She expects to make an immediate impact at work.
Verb
No one is sure how these changes will impact our relations with other countries.
Both events negatively impacted her life.
The tax increase will impact low-income families the most.
The poor economy is impacting on small businesses.
A crater was formed at the point where the meteor impacted the planet’s surface.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Gusty winds and hail storms had no impact on the sound quality or appearance of the chimes despite their location hanging in a tall tree.
—
Kate Mcgregor, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023
Dear Sam: What impact does an absence on LinkedIn have on employment?
—Dear Sam | Expert Resume, oregonlive, 24 Mar. 2023
Events like getting married or having a child can change your tax situation, while other issues can also have an impact, like getting a raise or earning gig income.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2023
What would the impact be on Trump, who has already weathered several scandals?
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2023
One of the most tangible and terrible symbols of Vietnam’s enduring impact is Agent Orange, the lethal chemical used by American forces to destroy the jungles that hid Viet Cong forces and ravage the fields that fed them.
—Steven V. Roberts, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
Is economic news such as the Silicon Valley Bank failure having an impact on the Huntsville area housing market?
—Scott Turner | Sturner@al.com, al, 23 Mar. 2023
While the full economic impact of the week-long event won’t be available for some time, Siegel said the tournament coverage drew 5,558 media mentions, with an overall audience reach of 6.4 billion people.
—Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2023
But the biggest political impact may be in creating a tightrope that Trump’s would-be challengers, and other Republicans interested in charting a post-Trump future, will need to walk.
—Patrick T. Brown, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023
That said, many things out of your control can impact your environment.
—Michael De Medeiros, Health, 26 Mar. 2023
Absences in the 51-49 Senate, which has a Democratic majority, can impact the timing and outcome of votes in the chamber.
—Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2023
But specific kinds impact brain chemistry in a way that gives you a more immediate and, most important, sustainable boost.
—Caitlin Carlson, Women’s Health, 24 Mar. 2023
At the same time, another study said IF didn’t greatly impact weight loss.
—Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
This year’s initiative will impact students enrolled throughout the summer 2022, fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters.
—Jianna Cousin, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2023
If signed into law, Idaho’s bill could impact the state’s eight current death row inmates and possibly the future of student stabbings suspect Bryan Kohberger.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2023
This could impact rate-sensitive sectors such as the automotive industry.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
Play reviews are not enough for NBA referees to make accurate violation calls, which can impact a teams’ chances at winning or losing games.
—Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 23 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘impact.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
affect adversely
cause repercussions; have an unwanted effect
produce an effect or strain on somebody
have an effect for good or ill
act as a stimulant
subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition
make a compound react with water and undergo hydrolysis
affect as in thought or feeling
put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or difficult position
affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely
cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to
cause inconvenience or discomfort to
have and exert influence or effect
make a forceful move against
cause to propagate, as by grafting or layering
subject to the action of bacteria
treat with iodine
treat with nitric acid, so as to change an organic compound into a nitrate
treat in a tank
impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen
treat to strengthen and improve the luster
treat with malt or malt extract
subject to fluoridation; treat with fluoride
treat with creosote
treat or combine with chlorine
treat with carbon dioxide
treat with camphor
treat with bromine
treat with ammonia
expose to radiation
treat with boiling water
give life or energy to
treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition
stimulate to action
excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus
treat with nitrogen or a nitrogen compound
treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace
treat by incorporating fat
sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain
treat with an agent; add (an agent) to
treat with sulphur in order to preserve
subject to vulcanization
treat with a chromium compound
treat with bitumen
age or bleach flour with Agene (nitrogen trichloride)
cause to perform
treat (a chemical compound) with carboxyl or carboxylic acid
convert into a simple soluble fermentable sugar by hydrolyzing a sugar derivative or complex carbohydrate
process (ores or other raw materials), as by reduction
influence (somebody’s) opinion in advance
expose or make liable to danger, suspicion, or disrepute
convert food into absorbable substances
expose to the effects of vitriol or injure with vitriol
cause (someone) to undergo something
cause to experience shipwreck
subject to refraction
expose or make accessible to some action or influence
expose to light, of photographic film
treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests
control the humidity and temperature of
establish or impress firmly in the mind
have force or influence; bring about an effect or change
influence or control shrewdly or deviously
modify or bias
influence decisively
exert pressure on someone through threats
win approval or support for
influence by corruption
influence an event or its outcome by illegal means
bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
be in control
make oneself subject to; bring upon oneself; become liable to
Impact is a relatively common word. We use it all the time, but this word has a few different definitions. That means you might be using it slightly incorrectly without even realizing it. It’s just one of those words that has more to it than meets the eye.
So, today’s word of the day is impact. It might not be the most complex word on your word lists, but it’s an important word to understand. With that in mind here is a complete guide to impact, complete with definitions, history, synonyms, and more.
What Is the Definition of Impact?
Impact, pronounced ɪmˈpækt, has a few different meanings. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb. Here’s the breakdown of each definition of impact according to the dictionary and how they vary.
As a noun, impact is when something strikes another thing. It can also mean forceful contact or a significant effect.
As a verb, this word means to have a direct effect on something, to strike something forcefully, or to press together.
As you can see, there are a lot of different ways that this word can be applied. In general, the meanings are fairly similar, but understanding the nuances between them can help you convey what you mean even more effectively.
The Etymology and History of the Word Impact
The word impact — like so many words in the English language — finds its roots in Latin. Specifically, it comes from the Latin impactus, which is the past participle of impingere. This Latin word means “to push against.”
The word first appeared in English in approximately 1601 CE. It was only used in the transitive verb form, which meant to press together. If you impact two things together, you push them together so firmly that they become fused or packed together so tightly that they won’t move.
The noun form of the word didn’t come about until much later, in 1781 CE. At this point, it gained the definition of “a forceful contact.” Now, it can be used as the subject of a sentence.
The ideological sense of the word did not appear until even later in history. But now, impact can describe the significant effect one action or idea has had on another. This usage is perhaps the most common now because, in western culture, people tend to talk a lot about the social impact their actions have and the legacy they leave behind.
Examples of Impact in Action
Now that you have an idea of the different definitions of impact, let’s look at some examples of impact in a sentence.
The huge impact of the meteor left a massive crater in the desert that can still be seen to this day.
Jared was in a car accident, but the impact did not give him any injuries.
The tremendous impact that the invention of the printing press had on the progression of humankind simply cannot be understated.
The toxic waste from the factory had an extremely harmful environmental impact.
My high school English teacher, who encouraged me to pursue my dreams, had such a positive impact on me.
The pandemic will impact our lives in more ways than we understand.
Climate change will directly impact all of our lives if we don’t do something about it.
The baseball left a huge dent as it impacted the hood of his dad’s car.
In general, there are two meanings for this word, whether it is used in its noun form or its verb form. The first refers to the physical strong contact of one object against another, and the second refers to the metaphorical powerful effect an event, person, or action had.
What Are Synonyms for Impact?
The word has different synonyms depending on the definition being used. Here’s a list of the synonyms you would find in a thesaurus for the word impact.
As a noun:
- Collision
- Crash
- Jolt
- Strike
- Impingement
- Wallop
As a verb:
- Affect
- Influence
- Strike
- Sway
What Are the Grammatical Forms of the Word Impact?
As a verb, impact can be used in many different tenses. Impacted, impacting, impacts, will impact, has impacted — the list goes on and on.
Impact has also been placed in many different collocations, which are the common pairings of two words. “Big impact,” “major impact,” “negative impact,” “immediate impact,” and more are all commonly used because of how important this word is to our language.
Impact in Popular Culture
In recent years, the word impact has become somewhat of a buzzword. Politicians, CEOs, and other leaders are always concerned with how their actions will impact the world.
In corporate culture, the word has been used quite a bit in recent decades. Companies make large efforts to help boost the morale of workers by reminding them of the impact that they have on the world, their colleagues, and the daily lives of people.
Impact is a powerful thing. The fact that our actions can positively or negatively affect somebody else is incredibly significant, and we should use our impact for the good of other people, rather than the opposite.
The Word Impact
Now you’re familiar with all of the specific definitions of the word impact. By understanding its history and its various meanings, you can now use it in your writing and speech and be confident that you’re using it correctly. If you need a refresher on the word, feel free to come back to this guide to the word impact.
Sources:
- Affect/effect/impact | The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
- Impact Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
- Social Impact: Definition and Why is Social Impact Important? | Duke University
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
im·pact
(ĭm′păkt′)
n.
1.
a. The striking of one body against another; collision. See Synonyms at collision.
b. The force transmitted by a collision.
2. The effect or impression of one person or thing on another: still gauging the impact of automation on the lives of factory workers.
v. (ĭm-păkt′, ĭm′păkt′) im·pact·ed, im·pact·ing, im·pacts
v.tr.
1. To pack firmly together.
2. To strike forcefully: meteorites impacting the lunar surface.
3. To have an effect or impact on: «No region … has been more impacted by emerging … economic trends» (Joel Kotkin).
v.intr.
To have an effect or impact. See Usage Note below.
[From Latin impāctus, past participle of impingere, to push against; see impinge.]
im·pac′tion n.
Usage Note: Impact in the figurative sense of «a dramatic effect» came under criticism in the 1960s, both as a noun and verb. Complaints that the noun was a pointless hyperbole and a vogue word turned out to be short-lived, and this usage is now is standard: in our 2015 survey, 97 percent of the Usage Panel accepted The program might have a positive impact on our nation’s youth. (A similar sentence was accepted by 93 percent of the Panel in 2001.) The verb is a different matter. Many people dislike it because they assume it was converted from the noun in the manner of voguish and bureaucratic words like dialogue and interface, but in fact impact was a verb long before it was a noun—the verb dates from the early 1600s, the noun from the late 1700s. Most of the Panelists still disapprove of the intransitive use of the verb meaning «to have an effect»: in our 2015 survey, 78 percent of the Panel (down only slightly from 85 percent in 2001) rejected These policies are impacting on our ability to achieve success. The transitive version was once as vilified, but is gradually becoming more acceptable: in 2015, only 50 percent (down from 80 percent in 2001) rejected The court ruling will impact the education of minority students, and only 39 percent (down from 66 percent in 2001) found the literal sense unacceptable in the sentence Thousands of meteors have impacted the lunar surface. Although resistance to the transitive senses is waning, the intransitive use is still strongly disliked and is best avoided. See Usage Notes at contact, impactful.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
impact
n
1. the act of one body, object, etc, striking another; collision
2. the force with which one thing hits another or with which two objects collide
3. the impression made by an idea, cultural movement, social group, etc: the impact of the Renaissance on Medieval Europe.
vb
4. to drive or press (an object) firmly into (another object, thing, etc) or (of two objects) to be driven or pressed firmly together
5. to have an impact or strong effect (on)
[C18: from Latin impactus pushed against, fastened on, from impingere to thrust at, from pangere to drive in]
imˈpaction n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
im•pact
(n. ˈɪm pækt; v. ɪmˈpækt)
n.
1. the striking of one thing against another; collision.
2. influence; effect: the impact of Einstein on modern physics.
3. a forcible impinging: the tremendous impact of the shot.
4. the force exerted by a new idea, concept, technology, or ideology: the impact of the industrial revolution.
v.t.
5. to drive or press closely or firmly into something.
6. to fill up; congest.
7. to collide with: a rocket designed to impact the planet Mars.
8. to have an impact or effect on; influence: The decision may impact your whole career.
v.i.
9. to make contact forcefully.
10. to have an impact: Increased demand will impact on sales.
[1775–85; back formation from impacted]
usage: The verb impact has developed the transitive sense “to have an impact or effect on” (The new reading program has impacted the elementary schools favorably) and the intransitive sense “to have an impact or effect” (Our work here impacts on every department in the company) These uses, though common, are often harshly criticized.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
impact
- fighting fire with fire — Early American settlers had to put out great prairie fires and learned that setting a circle or strip of land on fire could stop the path or lessen the impact of a big fire—giving us the phrase «fighting fire with fire.»
- freezing rain — Rain that freezes on impact with the ground or objects.
- draw — The billiard ball’s recoil after impact.
- impinge, infringe — To impinge is to come into contact or encroach or have an impact; to infringe is to encroach on a right or privilege or to violate.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
impact
Past participle: impacted
Gerund: impacting
| Imperative |
|---|
| impact |
| impact |
| Present |
|---|
| I impact |
| you impact |
| he/she/it impacts |
| we impact |
| you impact |
| they impact |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I impacted |
| you impacted |
| he/she/it impacted |
| we impacted |
| you impacted |
| they impacted |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am impacting |
| you are impacting |
| he/she/it is impacting |
| we are impacting |
| you are impacting |
| they are impacting |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have impacted |
| you have impacted |
| he/she/it has impacted |
| we have impacted |
| you have impacted |
| they have impacted |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was impacting |
| you were impacting |
| he/she/it was impacting |
| we were impacting |
| you were impacting |
| they were impacting |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had impacted |
| you had impacted |
| he/she/it had impacted |
| we had impacted |
| you had impacted |
| they had impacted |
| Future |
|---|
| I will impact |
| you will impact |
| he/she/it will impact |
| we will impact |
| you will impact |
| they will impact |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have impacted |
| you will have impacted |
| he/she/it will have impacted |
| we will have impacted |
| you will have impacted |
| they will have impacted |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be impacting |
| you will be impacting |
| he/she/it will be impacting |
| we will be impacting |
| you will be impacting |
| they will be impacting |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been impacting |
| you have been impacting |
| he/she/it has been impacting |
| we have been impacting |
| you have been impacting |
| they have been impacting |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been impacting |
| you will have been impacting |
| he/she/it will have been impacting |
| we will have been impacting |
| you will have been impacting |
| they will have been impacting |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been impacting |
| you had been impacting |
| he/she/it had been impacting |
| we had been impacting |
| you had been impacting |
| they had been impacting |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would impact |
| you would impact |
| he/she/it would impact |
| we would impact |
| you would impact |
| they would impact |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have impacted |
| you would have impacted |
| he/she/it would have impacted |
| we would have impacted |
| you would have impacted |
| they would have impacted |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  impact — the striking of one body against another
blow, bump — an impact (as from a collision); «the bump threw him off the bicycle» slam — a forceful impact that makes a loud noise impinging, striking, contact — the physical coming together of two or more things; «contact with the pier scraped paint from the hull» |
| 2. | impact — a forceful consequence; a strong effect; «the book had an important impact on my thinking»; «the book packs a wallop»
wallop consequence, effect, result, upshot, outcome, event, issue — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon; «the magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise»; «his decision had depressing consequences for business»; «he acted very wise after the event» |
|
| 3. | impact — influencing strongly; «they resented the impingement of American values on European culture»
impingement, encroachment influence — causing something without any direct or apparent effort |
|
| 4. | impact — the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat; «the armies met in the shock of battle»
shock fighting, combat, fight, scrap — the act of fighting; any contest or struggle; «a fight broke out at the hockey game»; «there was fighting in the streets»; «the unhappy couple got into a terrible scrap» |
|
| Verb | 1. | impact — press or wedge together; pack together
wedge, squeeze, force — squeeze like a wedge into a tight space; «I squeezed myself into the corner» |
| 2. | impact — have an effect upon; «Will the new rules affect me?»
affect, bear upon, bear on, touch on, touch alter, change, modify — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; «The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city»; «The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue» strike a blow — affect adversely; «The court ruling struck a blow at the old segregation laws» repercuss — cause repercussions; have an unwanted effect tell on — produce an effect or strain on somebody; «Each step told on his tired legs» redound — have an effect for good or ill; «Her efforts will redound to the general good» stimulate, excite — act as a stimulant; «The book stimulated her imagination»; «This play stimulates» process, treat — subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition; «process cheese»; «process hair»; «treat the water so it can be drunk»; «treat the lawn with chemicals» ; «treat an oil spill» hydrolise, hydrolize — make a compound react with water and undergo hydrolysis tinge, color, colour, distort — affect as in thought or feeling; «My personal feelings color my judgment in this case»; «The sadness tinged his life» endanger, peril, scupper, expose — put in a dangerous, disadvantageous, or difficult position hit, strike — affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely; «We were hit by really bad weather»; «He was stricken with cancer when he was still a teenager»; «The earthquake struck at midnight» subject — cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to; «He subjected me to his awful poetry»; «The sergeant subjected the new recruits to many drills»; «People in Chernobyl were subjected to radiation» discommode, disoblige, incommode, inconvenience, put out, trouble, bother — to cause inconvenience or discomfort to; «Sorry to trouble you, but…» act upon, influence, work — have and exert influence or effect; «The artist’s work influenced the young painter»; «She worked on her friends to support the political candidate» slam-dunk — make a forceful move against; «the electronic travel market is slam-dunking traditional travel agencies» |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
impact
noun
2. collision, force, contact, shock, crash, knock, stroke, smash, bump, thump, jolt The pilot must have died on impact.
impact on something or someone affect, change, involve, interest, concern, influence, transform, alter, modify, act on, sway, bear upon, impinge upon Such schemes mean little unless they impact on people.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
impact
noun
1. Violent forcible contact between two or more things:
2. The strong effect exerted by one person or thing on another:
3. The capacity to create a powerful effect:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَأثِيرٌصَدْمَه ، صِداموَقْع ، تأثير
dopadnárazúčinekúder
indvirkningpåvirkningstød
vaikutusiskeytyätörmätävaikuttaa
učinak
áhrifárekstur
影響
영향
ictus
sutrenkimas
grūdiensiedarbībaietekmesadursmetrieciens
påverkan
ผลกระทบ
ảnh hưởng
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
impact
[ˈɪmpækt] n
(physical) → impact m
the impact of a runner’s foot landing on the track → l’impact du pied d’un coureur sur la piste
the impact of the crash was so great that
BUT le choc fut si violent que.
to die on impact → mourir sur le coup
to explode on impact → exploser à l’impact
(= effect) → impact m
the impact of tourism on the environment → l’impact du tourisme sur l’environnement
to have an impact on sth/sb → avoir un impact sur qch/qn
to make an impact (= make one’s presence felt) → faire impression
impact on
[ɪmˈpækt] vt fus (= affect) [+ situation, process, person] → avoir un réel impact sur
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
impact
(ˈimpӕkt) noun
1. (the force of) one object etc hitting against another. The bomb exploded on impact.
2. a strong effect or impression. The film had quite an impact on television viewers.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
impact
→ تَأثِيرٌ dopad indvirkning Aufprall επίδραση impacto vaikutus impact učinak impatto 影響 영향 impact innvirkning wpływ impacto воздействие påverkan ผลกระทบ etki ảnh hưởng 影响力
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
im·pact
n. colisión, impacto; efecto; golpe; v. impactar, fijar, rellenar, asegurar; incrustar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Britannica Dictionary definition of IMPACT
1
:
the act or force of one thing hitting another
[count]
-
No one could have survived such an impact.
[noncount]
-
The bomb exploded on/upon impact (with the ground). [=when it hit the ground]
2
[count]
:
a powerful or major influence or effect
-
These warnings have been heard so often that they have lost their impact.
-
The book had a huge impact when it first came out.
-
We need to be concerned about the environmental impacts of all this construction.
-
She expects to make an immediate impact at work.
— often + on
-
The stress of her job is having a negative impact on her health. [=is harming her health]
-
We hope that these programs will have a positive impact on the community. [=will help the community]
Britannica Dictionary definition of IMPACT
1
:
to have a strong and often bad effect on (something or someone)
:
affect
[+ object]
-
No one is sure how these changes will impact our relations with other countries.
-
Both events negatively impacted her life.
-
The tax increase will impact low-income families the most.
[no object]
-
The poor economy is impacting on/upon small businesses.
2
[+ object]
formal
:
to hit (something) with great force
-
A crater was formed at the point where the meteor impacted the planet’s surface.