impose

verb

im·​pose im-ˈpōz 

imposed; imposing

transitive verb

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

2

: to force into the company or on the attention of another

impose oneself on others

3

a

: place, set

b

: to arrange (type, pages, etc.) in the proper order for printing

4

: pass off

impose fake antiques on the public

intransitive verb

: 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.

Synonyms

• assess
• charge
• exact
• fine
• lay
• levy
• put

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle French imposer, from Latin imponere, literally, to put upon (perfect indicative imposui), from in- + ponere to put — more at position

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing impose

• impose one's will

Kids 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