impressionistic

adjective

im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpre-shə-ˈni-stik 

1

or impressionist

im-ˈpre-sh(ə-)nist 

often capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting impressionism

2

: based on or involving impression as distinct from expertise or fact

intuitions and impressionistic anecdotal accounts

—Sidney Hook

impressionistically

(ˌ)im-ˌpre-shə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of impressionistic in a Sentence

He wrote an impressionistic account of the battle scene.

Recent Examples on the Web

Where Trust & Safety Tycoon is a pretty rigorous (if tongue-in-cheek) attempt to convey how hard running a social network is, One Billion Users is far more impressionistic. —Adi Robertson, The Verge, 18 Dec. 2024

Cult of Love, which feels like the more impressionistic Appropriate, confidently builds schematic portraits of the Dahls. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024

Some of the essays in Cellophane Bricks are easy to follow, though just as many of the pieces read like impressionistic prose poems or refracted flights of fancy that connect to their subject matter in obscure ways. —Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 10 Dec. 2024

Some are snapshots — making paper airplanes, watching the Muppets, swimming in the ocean — while others more impressionistic: the smell of burning incense, the scratchy stubble on his father’s chin, the boney outline of his ankle, and the cold metal of his guitar strings. —Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

impressionistic

adjective

im·​pres·​sion·​is·​tic (ˌ)im-ˌpresh-ə-ˈnis-tik 

1

or impressionist

im-ˈpresh-(ə-)nəst 

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

(ˌ)im-ˌpresh-ə-ˈnis-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb