2 syllables: im, pressed. Stress on pressed.
im-PREST
/ˌɪmˈpɹɛst/
impressed is pronounced im-PREST (/ˌɪmˈpɹɛst/). It has two syllables (im-pressed), with the stress on "pressed". Impressed describes a strong positive feeling of admiration or respect caused by someone’s abilities, qualities, or actions. It often refers to a momentary or ongoing reaction to something notable, and can imply having been influenced or moved. In everyday use, it signals acknowledgement of merit, skill, or impact.
Impressed describes a strong positive feeling of admiration or respect caused by someone’s abilities, qualities, or actions. It often refers to a momentary or ongoing reaction to something notable, and can imply having been influenced or moved. In everyday use, it signals acknowledgement of merit, skill, or impact.
"I was impressed by how smoothly the presentation ran."
"She was impressed with the comedian’s timing and delivery."
"The teacher was impressed by his thoughtful questions."
Pronounce as /ɪmˈprɛst/. Start with a short, lax /ɪ/ as in in, then a light but clear /m/; move to the consonant cluster /pr/ with a quick upward bite of the lips and a brief air release. The stress is on the second syllable: im-PREST. The final /st/ is a crisp alveolar cluster; ensure the tongue touches the alveolar ridge for /t/ and /s/ without sputtering. See audio reference at standard pronunciation dictionaries for native-like timing.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress (saying /ˈɪmprɛst/ instead of /ɪmˈprɛst/) and flattening the /pr/ into a simple /p/ or /r/ sound. Also, some learners insert an extra vowel between /m/ and /pr/ or soften the final /st/ to /s/ only. To fix: keep the /m/ immediately before the /p/; articulate /pr/ as a tight stop with simultaneous bilabial and alveolar contact, and finish with a crisp /t/ without a vowel.
In US/UK/AU, the primary vowel sounds stay close to /ɪ/ in the first syllable, with primary stress on /ˈprɛst/. Americans often have a slightly more rhotic, but /ɪmˈprɛst/ remains stable; the /r/ is not heavily pronounced in non-rhotic accents, and the /t/ is released crisply. Australian speakers tend to have a high, centralized vowel quality in the first syllable, but the overall rhythm and stress pattern remain the same. IPA for all: /ɪmˈprɛst/.
The difficulty centers on the strong consonant cluster /pr/ immediately followed by /st/, which requires precise timing and tongue posture. The vowel in the first syllable is short and lax, so beginners may lengthen or distort it. Also, the final /st/ needs a clean, continuous release to avoid a syllabic /t/ or an extra vowel. Practicing the exact mouth positions and transitions helps stabilize the entire sequence.
A common targeted point is whether the /ɪ/ in the first syllable is too close to /iː/ and how to transition into the stressed /prɛst/ smoothly. The important feature is the immediate succession of bilabial /m/ to the labial-velar /p/ with a tight /r/ blending into the alveolar /st/. Keeping the lips rounded just before /pr/ and maintaining a crisp /t/ helps avoid a muffled finish and improves overall fluency.
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Impressed comes from the verb impress, which derives from the Latin imprimere, meaning to press into or to imprint. The Latin comprises in- (into) and primere (to press, push). In English, impress originally carried the sense of forcing an impression or stamp, as in coinage or seals. By Middle English, the sense extended to making a strong impact on the mind or feelings of someone. The past participle impressed appears in usage from the 15th century onward, reflecting the action of having been stamped with admiration or influence. The modern nuance of being notably touched or influenced by something emerged as social and rhetorical language evolved, particularly in relation to artistic, intellectual, or moral merit. First known uses include contexts where a person, performance, or achievement left a lasting impression on an observer, thereby shaping judgments or opinions. Over time, the term widened beyond literal stamping to describe emotional or cognitive resonance, culminating in common phrases like “impressed by” and “impressed with.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "impressed" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "impressed"
-sed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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