How to pronounce impress
Say it like im-PRES. Impress has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce impress. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- im
- PRES
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Impress pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- PRESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of impress
American and British speakers say impress in essentially the same way: /ˌɪmˈprɛs/ in the US and /ɪmˈprɛs/ in the UK.
British respelling: im-PRES.
Other ways to say impress
Impress also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- IM-pres /ˈɪmˌprɛs/
What does impress mean?
- have an emotional or cognitive impact upon“This child impressed me as unusually mature”“This behavior struck me as odd”
- impress positively“The young chess player impressed her audience”
- produce or try to produce a vivid impression of“Mother tried to ingrain respect for our elders in us”
- the act of coercing someone into government service
Where does impress come from?
From Middle English impressen, from Latin impressus, perfect passive participle of imprimere (“to press into or upon, stick, stamp, or dig into”), from in (“in, upon”) + premere (“to press”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with impress
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of impress.
Questions about saying impress
How do you pronounce impress?
Say im-PRES. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪmˈprɛs/. In British English it is /ɪmˈprɛs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in impress?
Impress has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (PRES). Broken into parts: im · PRES.
Do Americans and Brits say impress the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪmˈprɛs/ and the British form is /ɪmˈprɛs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.