What does "imprint" mean?
An impression; the mark left behind by printing something.
Imprint
/ˈɪm.pɹɪnt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An impression; the mark left behind by printing something.
- Grammar: imprint is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: impression, abrams, acknowledgment, acknowledgments.
- Useful contrasts: erase, erasure, forget.
- Usage evidence: Our allegiance has never been to any particular tribe or kingdom - indeed, every language is spoken in our country; every culture has left its imprint on ours; every point of view is expressed in our public squares.
How to use "imprint"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "imprint" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "imprint" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "imprint" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "imprint" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "imprint" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "impression" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "imprint", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An impression; the mark left behind by printing something.
"The day left an imprint in my mind."
- 2 a device produced by pressure on a surface wordnet
- 3 The name and details of a publisher or printer, as printed in a book etc.; a publishing house.
"From their Belmont Avenue address they issued such memorable titles as I Peddle Jazz, Camera Bait, Our Flesh Was Cheap, Lesbian Twins, and His Sex, His Problem under at least four different imprints—Saber, Fabian, Vega, and National Library Books."
- 4 a distinctive influence wordnet
- 5 A distinctive marking, symbol or logo.
"The shirts bore the company imprint on the right sleeve."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 an impression produced by pressure or printing wordnet
- 7 an identification of a publisher; a publisher's name along with the date and address and edition that is printed at the bottom of the title page wordnet
- 8 a concavity in a surface produced by pressing wordnet
Verb
- 1 To leave a print, impression, image, etc.
"For a fee, they can imprint the envelopes with a monogram."
- 2 mark or stamp with or as if with pressure wordnet
- 3 To learn something indelibly at a particular stage of life, such as who one's parents are.
"That is, by way of this initial imprinting the young animal becomes a socialized member of its species. Animals misimprinted to other species show a variety of abnormal social behaviors as adults."
- 4 establish or impress firmly in the mind wordnet
- 5 To mark a gene as being from a particular parent so that only one of the two copies of the gene is expressed.
Antonyms
Example
"Our allegiance has never been to any particular tribe or kingdom - indeed, every language is spoken in our country; every culture has left its imprint on ours; every point of view is expressed in our public squares."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "imprint"?
Common synonyms include: impression, abrams, acknowledgment, acknowledgments, alveolation, alveolus.
How do you use "imprint" in a sentence?
Our allegiance has never been to any particular tribe or kingdom - indeed, every language is spoken in our country; every culture has left its imprint on ours; every point of view is expressed in our public squares.
How do you pronounce "imprint"?
Pronounced /ˈɪm.pɹɪnt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Old French empreinte, from the past participle of empreindre, from Latin imprimere.
Etymology 2
From Middle English emprinten, enprinten, from Old French empreinter, from the past participle of empreindre, from Latin imprimere.