impression

impression — noun

1. Your thoughts or feelings about someone or something, based on how they seem to

1.nounB1
Definition

Your thoughts or feelings about someone or something, based on how they seem to you rather than on detailed study or long experience.

Example

Christopher's first impression of the new school was more positive than he had expected.

first impression of — opinion formed on first meeting or experience

Jiwoo asked her classmates for their impressions of the art exhibition.

impressions of — plural form when collecting multiple opinions

Common collocations
  • first impression
  • general impression
  • overall impression
  • strong impression
  • form an impression
  • make an impression
  • leave an impression
Synonyms
  • opinion

    more deliberate and considered; impression is more intuitive and immediate

  • view

    often reflects a longer-held stance; impression is more initial

  • notion

    slightly vaguer and less grounded in evidence than impression

Grammar Patterns

impression + of + noun phrase

impression + that-clause

first impression + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'first' (first impression) when describing the initial view formed before deeper knowledge. The plural 'impressions' is common when collecting feedback from multiple people.

Common Mistakes

I have the impression of he is honest.
I have the impression that he is honest.
After 'impression', use a 'that-clause', not 'of' + clause.
His impression to the movie was good.
His impression of the movie was good.
The correct preposition is 'of', not 'to'.

2. A belief you hold about how things are, which later turns out to have been mista

2.nounB1
Definition

A belief you hold about how things are, which later turns out to have been mistaken.

Example

David was under the impression that the train left at six, not seven.

under the impression that — fixed phrase for mistaken beliefs

Joon got the impression that nobody was interested in his idea.

get the impression that — receiving a belief from what you observe

Common collocations
  • under the impression
  • false impression
  • wrong impression
  • get the impression
  • have the impression
Synonyms
  • belief

    wider and more neutral; impression in this sense implies uncertainty or error

  • feeling

    more emotional and less specific than impression

  • suspicion

    suggests distrust or doubt, which impression does not carry

Antonyms
  • certainty

    impression in this sense always lacks full certainty

Grammar Patterns

under the impression + that-clause

get the impression + that-clause

wrong/false impression + that-clause

Usage Note

The phrase 'under the impression (that)' is nearly always used when the belief is incorrect or incomplete. 'Get the impression' can describe either a correct or incorrect belief depending on context.

Common Mistakes

I was under impression that the exam was easy.
I was under the impression that the exam was easy.
The fixed phrase requires 'the' before 'impression'.

3. The general effect or quality that a person, place, situation, or experience pro

3.nounB1
Definition

The general effect or quality that a person, place, situation, or experience produces in your mind or on your senses.

Example

The warm lighting and soft music created a calm and welcoming impression.

create/make an impression — the effect intentionally or unintentionally produced

Ignacio's steady voice gave the impression that he was completely prepared.

Common collocations
  • make an impression
  • create an impression
  • give the impression
  • leave an impression
  • lasting impression
  • strong impression
  • good impression
  • terrible impression
Synonyms
  • effect

    more neutral and factual; impression includes subjective judgment

  • impact

    stronger and more dramatic than impression

  • feeling

    more personal and emotional; impression covers both emotional and intellectual responses

Grammar Patterns

make/create + impression + on + person

give the impression + that-clause

leave a + adjective + impression

Usage Note

This sense overlaps with sense 1 (OPINION FORMED), but focuses on the outward effect produced by the subject (person/place/thing) rather than the observer's internal judgment. The subject is often the grammatical cause of the impression: 'The speech made an impression' rather than 'I formed an impression.'

Common Mistakes

She made a good impression to the boss.
She made a good impression on the boss.
The correct preposition is 'on', not 'to'.

4. A performance in which you deliberately copy someone else's voice, gestures, or

4.nounB2
Definition

A performance in which you deliberately copy someone else's voice, gestures, or way of speaking, usually in order to entertain people.

Example

The comedian did a spot-on impression of the mayor that had the audience in stitches.

do an impression of — the standard verb + noun phrase for this sense

Ezra is brilliant at impressions and can mimic almost any celebrity's voice.

Common collocations
  • do an impression
  • impression of
  • good at impressions
  • spot-on impression
  • funny impression
Synonyms
  • imitation

    broader term; impression specifically copies a known person's mannerisms or speech

  • mimicry

    more technical; impression is the common everyday word

  • parody

    aims to mock or exaggerate for humour; impression can be affectionate

Grammar Patterns

do an impression + of + person

impression + of + person

Usage Note

Unlike other senses, this sense is always deliberate — the performer intends to be recognised as copying a specific person. It is typically used in entertainment contexts (comedy, parties, talent shows).

5. A hollow or raised shape left on a surface when something is pressed firmly into

5.nounB2
Definition

A hollow or raised shape left on a surface when something is pressed firmly into it.

Example

The wet coffee cup left a circular impression on the wooden table.

leave an impression on — physical mark left by pressure

The detective found a deep boot impression in the muddy ground near the fence.

Common collocations
  • leave an impression
  • deep impression
  • take an impression
  • impression in
  • impression on
Synonyms
  • indentation

    more formal; impression is more common in everyday speech

  • dent

    suggests damage from impact; impression is neutral

  • imprint

    very close in meaning; impression often suggests a shallower mark

Grammar Patterns

impression + in + surface

impression + on + surface

leave + an impression

Usage Note

This sense is the literal, physical origin of the word. Common in forensic, dental, and manufacturing contexts. In everyday speech, 'mark' or 'dent' is more frequent.

6. The total number of units of a publication produced during one press run, with n

6.nounC1
Definition

The total number of units of a publication produced during one press run, with no alterations made to the content.

Example

The publisher ordered only two thousand copies for the first impression of the poetry collection.

first impression — the initial batch of printed copies

This textbook is from the third impression, with no changes since the second.

Common collocations
  • first impression
  • second impression
  • third impression
  • impression of
  • subsequent impression
Synonyms
  • print run

    more common in modern publishing; impression has a slightly old-fashioned feel

  • printing

    more general; impression specifies that content is unchanged

Grammar Patterns

first/second/third + impression

impression + of + number + copies

Usage Note

In publishing, 'impression' is distinct from 'edition': an edition involves changes to the content, while an impression is just a reprint. Collectors and booksellers use 'first impression' to indicate the earliest print run of a first edition.

Common Mistakes

❌ 'This is the first impression of the revised edition.' — This mixes two concepts. A revised edition has its own first impression. Use 'first impression of the second edition' for clarity.

7. A single instance of a webpage, online advertisement, or piece of digital conten

7.nounB2
Definition

A single instance of a webpage, online advertisement, or piece of digital content being viewed or loaded by a user.

Example

The marketing team reported that the banner ad received over 80,000 impressions in the first week.

ad impressions / page impressions — countable units in digital metrics

Online advertisers pay based on the number of impressions their ads generate across different websites.

Common collocations
  • ad impressions
  • page impressions
  • earn impressions
  • receive impressions
  • generate impressions
  • impression count
Synonyms
  • view

    used for video content; impression is broader and includes static ads

  • page view

    more specific to web pages; impression also covers in-feed ads and banners

Grammar Patterns

ad/page + impressions

number + impressions

Usage Note

An impression counts every time content loads on a screen, even if the user does not interact with it. It is a standard metric in digital marketing, distinct from 'clicks' or 'conversions.'

Idioms

(be) under the impression that…

idiom

To think that something is true, often when it is not.

Maya was under the impression that the meeting started at 3 PM.

Are you under the impression that I forgot your birthday?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Impression, opinion, view, perception, and notion all describe what someone thinks about something, but they differ in how deliberate or evidence-based the thought is. An impression is the most intuitive and immediate — it forms quickly from how something seems to you, like the feeling you get when you first walk into a room. An opinion is more consciously formed and often defended: you might have an opinion on tax policy, but an impression of a new colleague. A view tends to reflect a broader or longer-held stance, such as a political view. Perception is more about how you interpret sensory information — it can be accurate or distorted by bias. A notion is vaguer and more casual, often closer to a hunch than a grounded belief. For example: 'My impression of the cafe was that it was cosy (based on a quick look); my opinion is that the coffee is overpriced (based on several visits); my view on their business model is more critical (a considered position).'

opinion ↗view ↗perceptionnotion ↗impression ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • first impression
  • lasting impression
  • general impression
  • overall impression
  • false impression
  • wrong impression
  • strong impression
  • deep impression
  • vivid impression
  • lasting impression

Adverbs

Phrases

  • make an impression
  • give the impression
  • create an impression
  • leave an impression
  • form an impression
  • have an impression
  • get the impression
  • be under the impression
  • do an impression
  • take an impression

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Impression entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'impression', which came from Latin 'impressio' — meaning a pressing into or a stamp. The Latin word is built from 'in-' (into) and 'premere' (to press). The original physical sense (a mark left by pressing) is the oldest; the mental and figurative senses developed later, treating experience as something that 'presses into' the mind, leaving a trace like a stamp on wax.