impressionistic

adjective

im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpre-shə-ˈni-stik How to pronounce impressionistic (audio)
1
or impressionist often capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting impressionism
2
: based on or involving impression as distinct from expertise or fact
intuitions and impressionistic anecdotal accountsSidney Hook
impressionistically adverb

Examples of impressionistic in a Sentence

He wrote an impressionistic account of the battle scene.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s no saying filmmakers can’t create impressionistic portraits of famous figures, but this one drifts away so lazily that there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly pertinent to Lincoln’s legacy or impact in its making. Will Leitch, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024 Pratt tends to be opaquely impressionistic in its lyrics, populating songs with highways and aster dawns; wild centuries and evil innocence. Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024 Each of its eight episodes is immersive and impressionistic; the camera lingers on the vibrant greens and deep browns of the natural world, in patient shots soundtracked by birdsong, the crunching of leaves underfoot, and serene, wordless music. Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Sep. 2024 And even with its obviously minor budget, the impressionistic debut feature feels extremely polished, with a folk- and blues-infused score (Danny Eberhardt, Sally Jorgensen and Max Train are credited with the music) contributing greatly to its offbeat mood. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See all Example Sentences for impressionistic 

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of impressionistic was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near impressionistic

Cite this Entry

“Impressionistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impressionistic. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

impressionistic

adjective
im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpresh-ə-ˈnis-tik How to pronounce impressionistic (audio)
1
or impressionist often capitalized : of or relating to impressionism
an impressionistic style of painting
2
: based on or involving one's impressions rather than knowledge or facts
impressionistic descriptions
impressionistically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on impressionistic

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