To impress someone means to make them think highly of you or feel admiration for something you've done. When you impress your teacher with a thoughtful essay, you've made her recognize your effort and ability. When a gymnast impresses the judges with a difficult routine, they're creating a strong positive reaction.

Impressing someone means making them genuinely respect or admire what they've seen. You might impress a new friend with your knowledge of dinosaurs, or impress your parents by taking initiative to help around the house without being asked. The feeling works both ways too: when you watch a talented musician perform, you might say “I'm impressed” because their skill exceeds what you expected.

The word can also mean to press or stamp something into a surface, like when you impress a pattern into clay with a rubber stamp, or when a fossil’s shape is impressed into rock.