imposing
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of imposing
Explanation
Imposing is an adjective reserved for those things that are impressive in the sense that they are large or serious, as in the US Capitol Building or even, say, a professional wrestler. When you look at the word imposing you see the word pose, which is useful in remembering what it means. A person who is imposing might strike a pose because they feel they have a lot to show. In fact, imposing is derived from the French verb imposer, which means "to inflict." Its French roots may inspire you to envision the enormous and expensive wigs worn by members of the French court. The larger the wig, the more imposing it was. And all the more reason to strike a pose!
Vocabulary lists containing imposing
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mensch said the goal was to ensure "that the model behaves the way you've told it to", imposing guardrails that "stop it from taking unreasonable actions".
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
The imposing grain silos at Beirut’s port mostly withstood last year’s massive explosion — but now serve as reminders of negligence and destruction.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
"But everything has a limit," he cautioned, refusing to rule out imposing a state of emergency if the standoff continued.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
However, the broadcast regulator’s decision has garnered harsh criticism from the powerful Motion Picture Association, which said Canada was imposing “unprecedented, unnecessary, and discriminatory investment obligations” on U.S. entertainment companies.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Complex clusters of stone buildings, so tall and imposing they looked like gods rising out of the water, reached for the sky.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
