Impressed

Impressed is an adjective that can describe a feeling of admiration or respect in response to someone or something, or a strong effect on a person’s perception or memory. It is also the past participle form of the verb impress, used to indicate that something has been influenced, moved, or marked.

Etymology and sense of marking: The verb impress derives from the idea of pressing in or shaping a surface. In historical and printing contexts, to impress means to create a design or mark by pressing a tool into material such as wax, metal, or paper. Thus, something that is impressed may bear a visible indentation or pattern.

Usage: In everyday language, impressed is typically followed by with or by, to specify the source of the admiration (e.g., “I was impressed with his presentation” or “They were impressed by the artwork”). The noun form impression refers to the effect or impression created, or the mark left by pressing. A related adjective, impressive, describes something that causes admiration.

Differences in nuance: Impressed describes the observer’s reaction or a physical mark. Impressive describes the quality of the thing itself. The phrase “to impress upon” (or “impress upon someone”) means to fix an idea or obligation firmly in someone’s mind.

See also: impress, impression, impressive, imprint, stamp, emboss.