impact

IM-pakt/ˈɪmpækt/

As a verbim-PAKT

Verbimpacts, impacting, impacted

7 meanings of impact

1
strong effectnounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
A strong effect that something has on people or things.
Like dropping a stone in water and watching the waves spread out.
The new law had a big impact on small businesses.
Her speech made a real impact on the students.
UsageSay something has an impact on you, or makes an impact.
Similareffect, influence, impression, bearing, consequence
2
affectverbfigurativelytransitive or intransitive
To have a strong effect on someone or something.
Like a heavy rain that changes everyone's plans for the day.
The drought will impact local farmers this year.
New rules can impact how companies do business.
UsageIn careful writing, affect is the safer word.
Similaraffect, influence
3
collisionnouncountable or uncountable
The moment one thing hits another hard, or how hard it hits.
Like two toy cars crashing into each other.
The ball hit the window, and the impact cracked the glass.
You could hear the impact when the ball hit the wall.
UsageSay it broke on impact, at the moment it hit.
4
crash intoverbtransitive or intransitive
To hit or crash into something.
Like a ball smacking into a wall.
The meteor will impact the surface at great speed.
Falling rocks impacted the car below.
UsageUsually no word in between: the rock impacted the car.
Similarstrike, hit
Oppositemiss

Less common meanings

5
verbtransitive
To press or pack something tightly together.
Like stepping on snow again and again until it turns hard and packed.
Cotton swabs can impact earwax, packing it deep inside your ear.
Bits of popcorn got impacted between her back teeth.
UsageMost often as impacted: impacted earwax.
Similarcompact, compress, pack, tamp, press
Oppositeloosen
6
verbraretransitive
To stamp or press a mark onto something.
Similarstamp, impress, imprint, emboss
Note
7
noun
A hard pressing of one thing against another, such as two bones in the back.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of impact apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from the Latin word "impāctus" and has been used since the 1600s.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Impact comes from Latin impāctus. en.wiktionary.org
The English word impact has been used since the 1600s. en.wiktionary.org