impactful
Something impactful is effective, or makes a strong impression, like an impactful movie that captures your attention and leaves you feeling deeply moved.
Impactful gets a bad rap from a lot of grammar snobs, who consider it a made-up bit of marketing lingo. It's a real word, though, coined in the 1950s and originally used in the context of political and literary theory. Impactful is from the noun impact, "strong effect." To avoid annoying some grammarians, you can substitute words like "meaningful," "effective," or "powerful." Or just go ahead and say, "This was the most impactful summer of my life!"
Definitions of impactful
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having great power or force or potency or effect
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synonyms:
powerful
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effective, effectual, efficacious
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
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potent, stiff, strong
having a strong physiological or chemical effect
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all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent
having unlimited power
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coercive
serving or intended to coerce
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compelling
driving or forcing
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mighty
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
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muscular
having or suggesting great physical power or force
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potent, strong
having or wielding force or authority
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puissant
powerful
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regent
acting or functioning as a regent or ruler
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hegemonic, regnant, reigning, ruling
exercising power or authority
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strong
having strength or power greater than average or expected
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Antonyms:
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powerless
lacking power
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ineffective, ineffectual, uneffective
not producing an intended effect
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impotent
lacking power or ability
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feeble, nerveless
lacking strength
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helpless, incapacitated
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
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low-powered
having little power to do work
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weak
not having authority, political strength, or governing power
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weak
wanting in physical strength
- show more antonyms...
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effective, effectual, efficacious
Pronunciation
US
/ɪmˈpæktfəl/
UK
/ɪmˈpæktfəl/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘impactful'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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