noun , verb
■ noun / ˈɪmpækt; NAmE / [ C , usually sing. , U ]
1.
impact (of sth) (on sb/sth) the powerful effect that sth has on sb/sth :
the environmental impact of tourism
The report assesses the impact of AIDS on the gay community.
Her speech made a profound impact on everyone.
Businesses are beginning to feel the full impact of the recession.
2.
the act of one object hitting another; the force with which this happens :
craters made by meteorite impacts
The impact of the blow knocked Jack off balance.
The bomb explodes on impact (= when it hits something) .
The car is fitted with side impact bars (= to protect it from a blow from the side) .
■ verb / ɪmˈpækt/
1.
impact (on / upon) sth to have an effect on sth
SYN affect :
[ v ]
Her father's death impacted greatly on her childhood years.
: [ vn ] ( business )
The company's performance was impacted by the high value of the pound.
2.
[ v , vn ] impact (on / upon / with) sth ( formal ) to hit sth with great force
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (as a verb in the sense press closely, fix firmly ): from Latin impact- driven in, from the verb impingere drive something in or at, from in- into + pangere fix, drive.