I. (ˌ)im|pakt verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin impactus, past participle of impingere to strike or push at or against — more at impinge
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fix firmly by or as if by packing or wedging
a substance impacted in the upper intestine
the mule lay … impacted in the loam — Ben Johnson
b. : to press together or mix into a clotted, wedged, or tightly bound mass
goblets of clay and drops of sweat impacted into a hot mulch — Time
puns that can impact the scabrous with the sublime in a word — Eleanor Clark
c. : to press down and wedge or force in or under
the golden nuggets or wisdom being impacted in tons of verbosity — Dwight Macdonald
d. : to fill up : crowd , congest
impacts the area with military and defense workers and their families — Tait Trussell
2.
a. : to have an impact upon : make contact with : impinge upon
the images impacting the human retina — T.H.Benton †1975
b. : to drive or transmit with a forceful impact
the critic who … is supposed to impact his messianic visions of jazz perfection to musicians struggling at his feet — Saturday Review
intransitive verb
: to have an impact
the world did not impact upon me until I got to the post office — Christopher Morley
: impinge or make contact especially forcefully
image the impacting ball splashing into the loose mass of surface balls — R.A.Bagnold
how will total war impact on such a poet — Times Literary Supplement
II. ˈimˌpakt noun
( -s )
1.
a. : the act of impinging or striking (as of one body against another or of a stream squarely against a fixed or moving surface)
b. : a forceful contact, collision, or onset : the degree or concentration of force in a collision : the impetus communicated in or as if in a collision
felt the terrific impact of the blow
air rendered incandescent by the vehemence of the impacts of the electrons against its molecules — K.K.Darrow
2. : the force of impression of one thing on another:
a. : the notable ability to arouse and hold attention and interest : the power of impressing
a way of securing a maximum of dramatic impact on the reader — W.M.Frohock
b. : a concentrated force producing change : an especially forceful effect checking or forcing change : an impelling or compelling effect
the impact of modern science and technology upon society as a whole — Harrison Brown
the impact of terror
the environmental impact of industrial pollution
loses the impact of the basic story in a maze of philosophies — Whitney Betts
also : the degree of such force
American youth in the early 1930s felt spiritually paralyzed by the impact of confusing events — J.W.Chase
Synonyms:
brunt , collision , clash , shock , bump , jolt , jar , impingement , percussion , concussion : impact now commonly suggests the driving impetus or momentum in or as if in a collision or the dynamic force in impressing or compelling change
the aunt's home shook at the impact and the windows were smashed — Norman Cousins
the impact of world war on the lives of countless millions — R.H.Jackson
brunt now indicates the major part of the force of an onset, collision, jar, stress, or strain
a number of the leaders had … fled from the persecution, leaving the little people to bear its brunt — Maurice Samuel
the national financial panic was felt throughout the state, but it was Duluth that bore the brunt of the disaster … it was rendered almost totally bankrupt — American Guide Series: Minnesota
collision implies a forceful running together of more or less complex things through accident and with resulting harm, or a sharp opposition or conflict
the collision between two ships in a fog
the buyers and sellers of capital could do almost as they pleased with it, no matter how much damage a collision between them might bring about — F.L.Allen
clash suggests a noisy, metallic striking together, a sharp skirmish or brawl, or a sharp direct variance, opposition, or contrast
roll of cannon and clash of arms — Alfred Tennyson
fishermen from the Michigan mainland … violently opposed further settlement by the Mormons. Clashes occurred at several places — American Guide Series: Michigan
a clash or conflict between his demands and the strict limitations upon the supply
shock may refer to a very forcible onslaught or violent collision literally or figuratively
the shock of the cavalry charge
the discoveries of physical science came as a shock to the general mind of Europe — Laurence Binyon
the shock of physical dislocation effected a very considerable modification of old attitudes — John Dewey
bump indicates a sudden thudding blow, especially one checking forward progress with some force
a bump on the head
the springs were broken by the bad bump during the detour
jolt refers to an abrupt violent blow or movement tending to shake, agitate, or unsettle, or, figuratively, to a shock or major surprise
newly picked fruit being bruised by the jolts of shipment
we have no offensive naval policy … I fear there will be some horrible jolts in the future — F.D.Roosevelt
jar usually refers to some wrenching dislodgment or break in continuity
the bottles were cracked by the jars they underwent in shipment
it may refer to an agitation or shaking up
the fall gave him a jar
impingement now is less likely to indicate violent collision than lighter overlaying or more subtle infringement or penetration
each little impingement of sound struck on her consciousness — Adria Langley
percussion , more common in technical than in general language, may suggest a sharp, purposive tapping or knocking
musical instruments that sound by percussion, as the drum
concussion , which may mean a blow or collision, is now more likely to suggest the shattering effects, including noise, of a collision or explosion, or the stunning, weakening effect of a heavy blow
from the shelter survivors heard the concussions of the bombing raid
suffered a concussion in the collision
III. transitive verb
: to have an adverse effect on
imports of stainless steel products continued to impact … profits — Annual Report Armco Steel Corp.
intransitive verb
: to have an adverse effect