imposed; imposing
1
a
: to establish or apply by authority
impose a tax
impose new restrictions
impose penalties
b
: to establish or bring about as if by force
those limits imposed by our own inadequacies—
C. H. Plimpton
C. H. Plimpton2
: to force into the company or on the attention of another
impose oneself on others
4
: pass off
impose fake antiques on the public
: to take unwarranted advantage of something
imposed on his good nature
imposer
noun
Did you know?
The Latin imposui meant "put upon", and that meaning carried over into English in impose. A CEO may impose a new manager on one of the company's plants. A state may impose new taxes on luxury items or cigarettes, and the federal government sometimes imposes trade restrictions on another country to punish it. A polite apology might begin with "I hope I'm not imposing on you" (that is, "forcing my presence on you"). And a self-imposed deadline is one that you decide to hold yourself to.
Examples of impose in a Sentence
The judge imposed a life sentence.
I needed to break free from the limits imposed by my own fear of failure.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arriving via the gorgeous gardens of Grosvenor Square, my partner and I oohed and aahed at the imposing marble, opulent chandeliers and old-world glamour of the hotel lobby.
—Caroline Dolby, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024
China has railed against tariffs on its electric vehicles imposed by the EU and Washington among others.
—Chris Morris, Fortune Asia, 5 Nov. 2024
Even then, Boeing will continue to lag its rival, Airbus, in delivery of the aircraft variants for years into the future, owing to limits imposed by regulators on production and certification in the wake of years of accidents and quality incidents.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Then, in 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which increased border enforcement, imposed penalties on employers who hired undocumented people, and legalized some three million undocumented people, including many Californians.
—Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made By History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for impose 
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.
Caroline Dolby, theweek, 5 Nov. 2024
China has railed against tariffs on its electric vehicles imposed by the EU and Washington among others.
—Chris Morris, Fortune Asia, 5 Nov. 2024
Even then, Boeing will continue to lag its rival, Airbus, in delivery of the aircraft variants for years into the future, owing to limits imposed by regulators on production and certification in the wake of years of accidents and quality incidents.
—Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Then, in 1986, Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which increased border enforcement, imposed penalties on employers who hired undocumented people, and legalized some three million undocumented people, including many Californians.
—Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made By History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for impose
Dictionary Entries Near impose
Cite this Entry
“Impose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impose. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impose
verb
im·pose
im-ˈpōz 
imposed; imposing
1
a
: to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
impose a fine
impose a tax
b
: to force somebody to accept or put up with
impose one's will on another
2
: to take unfair advantage
impose on a friend's good nature
imposer
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share