
image | image: n. 1 likeness, representation, picture, sculpture, statue, effigy, figure, portrait, simulacrum; icon or ikon, idol, graven image, fetish, tiki: Images of Bol�var can be seen in every town square in Venezuela. The tribesmen still worshipped golden images of their gods. 2 epitome, duplicate, copy, counterpart, facsimile, replica, double, twin, Doppelg�nger, clone, Colloq spitting image or spit and image, (dead) ringer: He''s the image of father. He stared at his image in the mirror. 3 impression, concept, conception, perception, idea, perception, notion, mental picture: You are quite different from my image of you. 4 epitome, representative, model, (typical) example, essence, archetype, embodiment, incarnation, personification, materialization, reification, corporealization: For us, she was the very image of what a leader should be. 5 figure (of speech), trope, metaphor, allusion, simile, symbol: The poem contains images that are obscure unless you know Greek myths. 6 form, appearance, likeness, guise, semblance, aspect, mould, cast: Man claims to be created in God''s image.
imagery | imagery: n. figurativeness, allusion, symbolism: Constance''s poems are filled with ornate imagery.
imaginary | imaginary: adj. fictitious, fanciful, fancied, chimerical, imagined, fictive, illusory or illusive, visionary, made-up, unreal, untrue, mythical or mythic, notional, abstract; legendary, mythological: When he was a boy, he had an imaginary friend called Carbonario.
imagination | imagination: n. 1 mind''s eye, fancy; creativity, inventiveness, ingenuity, insight, inspiration, vision, imaginativeness, creative power(s): His fertile imagination conjured up all kinds of terrifying pictures. 2 thought, thinking, (mental) acuity, intelligence, wit: It doesn''t take much imagination to see why you don''t want to go to school this morning.
imaginative | imaginative: adj. 1 creative, original, clever, ingenious, inventive, innovative, inspired, inspiring, enterprising, resourceful: Richard is a highly imaginative computer programmer. 2 fanciful, fantastic, visionary, poetic(al), whimsical, contrived, fictitious, fictional: The imaginative tale of Don Quixote sprang from the mind of Cervantes.
imagine | imagine: v. 1 think of, contemplate, picture, envisage, consider, ponder, meditate on, envision, visualize, conceive (of), conceptualize, create, think up, concoct, devise, Colloq dream up, cook up: I cannot imagine what you are referring to. Imagine, if you can, a world without conflict. 2 suppose, guess, conjecture, assume, presume, take it, infer, take (it) for granted, take it as given, think, fancy, believe, gather, surmise, suspect, judge, deem: I imagine that you won''t want a drink if you are driving. You are imagining things if you think she is trying to undermine your authority.
imitate | imitate: v. 1 mimic, copy, ape, parrot, monkey, emulate, impersonate, do an impression of; echo, simulate: Cruikshank was imitating the boss, who walked in at that very moment. His style imitates that of Carlyle. 2 copy, mimic, mock, parody, satirize, burlesque, caricature, travesty, Colloq spoof, take off, Brit send up: In Hudibras, Samuel Butler imitated the style of the heroic epic.
imitation | imitation: n. 1 copying, mimicking, mimicry, aping, parroting, emulating, emulation, impersonating, impersonation, impression: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. 2 impersonation, parody, satirization, burlesque, caricature, mockery, travesty, Colloq take-off, Brit send-up: In his nightclub act, he does scathing imitations of celebrities. 3 copy, fake, counterfeit, forgery: These are modern imitations of ancient coins. 4 copy, replica, replication, reproduction, simulation, facsimile, duplicate, duplication, simulacrum: We keep the original in a safe place and put the imitations on display. --adj. 5 fake, synthetic, artificial, simulated, sham, ersatz, mock, factitious, reproduction, man-made, Colloq phoney or US also phony: It doesn''t take an expert to see that this is an imitation diamond.
immaculate | immaculate: adj. 1 spotless, stainless, unblemished, pure, clean, untarnished, unsullied, unsoiled, snow-white, spick and span, dapper, spruce; tidy, neat: Each morning he donned an immaculate uniform. 2 pure, chaste, innocent, virginal, virtuous, vestal, pristine, undefiled, untainted, unspoiled, unblemished, stainless, unadulterated: He remained convinced of his wife''s immaculate reputation. 3 faultless, flawless, perfect, errorless, impeccable: His essay on Gibbon is an example of immaculate scholarship.
immaterial | immaterial: adj. 1 unimportant, inconsequential, nugatory, trivial, trifling, petty, slight, insignificant, slight, flimsy, light, unessential, non-essential, of little account or value: Whether he stays or goes is immaterial to me. 2 airy, incorporeal, disembodied, ethereal, ephemeral, evanescent, unsubstantial: The concept of immaterial matter, such as a gas, is difficult to comprehend.
immature | immature: adj. 1 premature, undeveloped, unripe, rudimentary, half-grown, unformed, unfledged, fledgling, unfinished, young, new, fresh, incomplete: The immature growth in the spring is not hardy enough to survive a frost. 2 green, callow, unsophisticated, na�ve, jejune, inexperienced, babyish, childish, childlike, puerile, juvenile, raw, Colloq wet behind the ears: She is a bit immature to assume so many responsibilities.
immeasurable | immeasurable: adj. vast, infinite, immense, huge, great, limitless, boundless, endless, interminable, unbounded, unlimited, measureless, inestimable, measureless, unfathomable; innumerable, numberless, uncountable, uncounted, incalculable: The tiny ship hurtled through the immeasurable vastness of space. An immeasurable quantity of angels can dance on the head of a pin. He accomplished immeasurable good during his lifetime.
immediate | immediate: adj. 1 instantaneous, instant, abrupt, sudden, swift; spontaneous, instinctive, triggered, unhesitating, unthinking, automatic, reflex, knee-jerk: Why is your immediate reaction always to say ''It cannot be done''? 2 direct, nearest, next, closest, adjacent, proximate; nearby: Although he had cancer, the immediate cause of death was pneumonia. Is there a phone box in the immediate vicinity? 3 existing, present, current, actual, pressing, urgent: The immediate problem is to find a way of getting out of here.
immediately | immediately: adv. 1 at once, instantly, instantaneously, promptly, right away, right now, without delay, unhesitatingly, without hesitation, forthwith, this instant, directly, in a wink, in a second, in a minute, tout de suite, instanter, Chiefly Brit straightaway or straight away, Colloq pronto, in a jiffy, in two shakes of a lamb''s tail, before you can say ''Jack Robinson'', at the drop of a hat: Come here immediately. I shall be there immediately. 2 directly, closely, intimately: These reactions are immediately concerned with the temperature. --conj. 3 when, as soon as, the moment (that), Brit directly: Immediately he heard the news, he hurried to her side.
immense | immense: adj. enormous, gigantic, extensive, vast, huge, massive, voluminous, tremendous, staggering, stupendous, mammoth, colossal, giant, titanic, Cyclopean, jumbo, elephantine, Brobdingnagian, Slang US humongous: Our exit from the cave was blocked by an immense boulder.
immerse | immerse: v. 1 plunge, sink, submerge, dip, dunk, duck, inundate: Immerse the device in the water before switching it on. 2 plunge, sink, submerge, bury, absorb, engross, engage, occupy, involve: I immersed myself in my work and never noticed the time.
immigrant | immigrant: n. newcomer, arrival, settler, Australian migrant; alien, foreigner, outlander, outsider: Her parents were immigrants from the Ukraine.
imminent | imminent: adj. impending, looming, threatening, menacing, at hand, nigh, immediate, close (by or at hand), (forth)coming, drawing near or close or nigh, momentary: We face imminent disaster if steps are not taken now.
immoderate | immoderate: adj. excessive, extreme, exorbitant, unreasonable, inordinate, extravagant, intemperate; outrageous, preposterous, exaggerated, unrestrained, undue: Their immoderate demands for reparations cannot be met.
immodest | immodest: adj. 1 indecent, shameless, shameful, indecorous, titillating, revealing; indelicate, improper, wanton, loose, unrestrained, provocative, obscene, lewd, smutty, dirty, lascivious, bawdy, coarse, Colloq sexy: The striptease was, to say the least, immodest. The streakers will be punished for their immodest behaviour. 2 brazen, forward, bold, impudent, impertinent, brash, arrogant, insolent, presumptuous, disrespectful, Colloq fresh, cheeky: Carl''s immodest demand for a private office was ignored.
immoral | immoral: adj. 1 corrupt, bad, wicked, evil, iniquitous, sinful, impure, unethical, unprincipled, abandoned, base, wrong, vile, depraved, dissolute, degenerate, reprobate, unregenerate, nefarious, flagitious, villainous, treacherous, unscrupulous, dishonest: Is it immoral to avoid paying one''s taxes? 2 immodest, debauched, indecent, wanton, libertine, lecherous, lustful, libidinous, carnal, concupiscent, salacious, licentious, lascivious, lewd, obscene, pornographic, dirty, smutty, filthy: He was convicted for living off immoral earnings.
immortal | immortal: adj. 1 undying, eternal, deathless, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, sempiternal, never-ending, endless, ceaseless, perpetual, timeless, constant, permanent, indestructible: Did the Egyptian pharaohs believe themselves immortal? 2 divine, heavenly, godlike: The immortal wisdom of God guides man. 3 remembered, celebrated, unfading, famous, renowned, classic, lauded, praised, honoured, timeless: The immortal writings of Shakespeare inspire us still. --n. 4 Olympian, god or goddess; hero or heroine, legend, genius, great: To be sure, we must consider Bach as one of the immortals.
immortalize | immortalize: v. celebrate, honour, glorify, memorialize, commemorate, apotheosize, canonize, beatify, exalt, ennoble, extol: Dickens''s father was immortalized as Mr Micawber.
immovable | immovable: adj. 1 unmovable, fixed, fast, rooted, set, immobile, stationary, motionless, stable, riveted, anchored, frozen: What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? 2 immutable, unchangeable, unalterable, settled, set, unmovable, fixed, inflexible; unshakeable or unshakable, unswerving, firm, determined, steadfast, staunch, rigid, dogged, obdurate, unyielding, unwavering, resolute, unflinching, adamant(ine), stony, impassive, unbending, impassive, emotionless, unmoved: Christmas day, which always falls on December 25th, is an immovable feast. Despite pleas for mercy, the judge was immovable and she was hanged the next day.
immune | immune: adj. inoculated, vaccinated; exempt, safe, protected, insusceptible or unsusceptible, invulnerable, untouched, unaffected: She never caught smallpox because a mild case of cowpox had made her immune. Rick mistakenly thought himself immune to Sally''s charms.
immunity | immunity: n. 1 exemption, non-liability, invulnerability, protection, excuse, release, exclusion, privilege, freedom, indemnity, amnesty, exoneration, absolution: In return for his testimony he was granted immunity from prosecution. 2 insusceptibility or unsusceptibility, protection, inoculation, vaccination: Immunity to a number of diseases is conferred by this one injection.
imp | imp: n. devil(kin), demon, sprite, evil spirit, hobgoblin, goblin, elf, pixie or pixy, leprechaun, puck, brownie, fairy; scamp, urchin, gamin, rogue, rascal, mischief-maker, brat: Sitting on my shoulder as I write is a tiny imp that inserts the misspellings. Give me a hug, you little imp!
impact | impact: n. 1 collision, contact, striking, crash, smash, bump, colliding, crashing, smashing, bumping: The impact of the car against the stone wall was heard a mile away. 2 effect, impression, influence, import, meaning, bearing, force, thrust, weight, burden, brunt, repercussions, results, consequences: It is becoming clear that technology is having an adverse impact on the environment. --v. 3 strike, hit, collide with: When its orbit decays, the satellite will impact the surface of the moon. 4 affect, modify, change: I wonder how the news of the bankruptcy will impact share prices.
impair | impair: v. weaken, cripple, damage, harm, mar, injure, spoil, ruin: ''I understand that leading a wild life can impair your hearing.'' ''What did you say?''
impairment | impairment: n. lessening, weakening, damage, harm, injury, flaw, imperfection, reduction, vitiation, deterioration, decrease, diminution, enfeeblement, debilitation, undermining, worsening, marring: The impairment to my eyesight was caused by reading in the dark.
impale | impale: v. spear, stab, pierce, skewer, spit, stick, transfix, spike: They impaled the heads of their enemies on poles as a warning.
impart | impart: v. 1 give, cede, lend, bestow, convey, confer, grant, afford, accord, contribute: The dyes impart different colours to the ink. 2 communicate, tell, relate, transmit, reveal, divulge, disclose, pass on, intimate, confide: I''ve had a hard week imparting knowledge to bored schoolchildren.
impartial | impartial: adj. fair, just, even-handed, disinterested, neutral, unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, equitable: Judge Leaver can be relied on to render an impartial verdict.
impasse | impasse: n. deadlock, dead end, stalemate, stand-off, block, blockage, Colloq blind alley: Negotiations reached an impasse and the meeting broke up.
impassioned | impassioned: adj. passionate, inspired, spirited, stirring, fervent, emotional, fervid, ardent, heated, warm, rousing, aroused, vehement, zealous, eager, earnest, enthusiastic, vigorous, animated, fiery, inflamed, glowing: The barrister made an impassioned plea for the accused.
impassive | impassive: adj. cool, apathetic, calm, serene, composed, unmoved, cold, cold-blooded, reserved, imperturbable, unimpressionable, unruffled, controlled, contained, phlegmatic, lackadaisical, stoical, unemotional, taciturn, unfeeling, stolid, emotionless, uncaring, indifferent, undisturbed, callous, unsympathetic, stony, dispassionate, detached, nonchalant, unconcerned, insouciant, remote: I could see nothing in the judge''s impassive expression to hint at his decision.
impatient | impatient: adj. 1 uneasy, nervous, fidgety, agitated, restless, restive, unquiet, eager, fretful, agog, chafing, impetuous, athirst, Slang itchy, US antsy: There is a short wait for seats, so please don''t get impatient. 2 irritable, irascible, testy, short-tempered, querulous, waspish, brusque, curt, short, hot-tempered, snappish, indignant, demanding: I don''t mean to be impatient, but I have been waiting for three hours.
impeach | impeach: v. 1 charge, accuse, arraign, indict, incriminate, implicate, inculpate, blame, censure: They were impeached for crimes against the state. 2 (call into) question, challenge, attack, disparage, discredit, impugn, deprecate, belittle, asperse, cast aspersions on, declaim, slander, malign, vilify: My daughter''s character had been impeached by the witness.
impeccable | impeccable: adj. faultless, flawless, perfect, ideal, pure, correct, proper, spotless, immaculate, unblemished, spotless, unimpeachable, blameless: His lectures, though impeccable in content and style, lacked fire.
impede | impede: v. bar, obstruct, block, thwart, check, hinder, hamper, slow, retard, restrain, brake, hold up, delay, foil, confound, inhibit, curb, spike, stop: You can do nothing to impede the relentless march of time.
impediment | impediment: n. bar, barrier, obstruction, block, check, hindrance, encumbrance, restraint, hold-up, hitch, snag, restriction, stricture, bottleneck, delay, hang-up, inhibition, curb: What are the impediments to a happy marriage?
impending | impending: adj. imminent, approaching, (close or near) at hand, close, nearing, forthcoming, brewing, to come, in view, in prospect, in store, in the offing, on the horizon, in the air; looming, threatening, menacing; Colloq Brit on the cards, US in the cards: The impending deadline made us work all the faster. We had a feeling of impending doom.
imperative | imperative: adj. 1 mandatory, compulsory, necessary, required, requisite, demanded, obligatory, indispensable, essential, crucial, vital, urgent, pressing, exigent: It is imperative that we catch the 5.04 to London. 2 imperious, commanding, authoritarian, overbearing, peremptory, autocratic, domineering, magisterial, lordly, arbitrary, dictatorial, dogmatic, tyrannical, despotic, Colloq bossy: We were all shaken into obedience by her imperative tone.
imperceptible | imperceptible: adj. 1 invisible, indiscernible, indistinguishable, undetectable, obscure, vague, ill-defined; inaudible: The differences between the twins are imperceptible. 2 indistinct, unclear, unnoticeable, slight, subtle, inconsiderable, inappreciable, minute, tiny, slight, minuscule, infinitesimal, microscopic: Her only response was an imperceptible flicker of her eyelid.
imperfect | imperfect: adj. wanting, unfinished, undeveloped, incomplete, deficient, defective, faulty, flawed, patchy: This is an imperfect translation of the poem.
imperfection | imperfection: n. flaw, failing, fault, error, defect, blemish, damage; inadequacy, insufficiency, deficiency, frailty, weakness, foible, shortcoming, peccadillo, shortfall, fallibility, infirmity: We have reduced the price because of tiny imperfections in the weave. Imperfections in her character make her unsuitable for the job.
imperial | imperial: adj. 1 kingly, kinglike, queenly, queenlike, princely, princelike, regal, royal, sovereign: The imperial court was rich and splendid. 2 majestic, royal, regal, lofty, exalted, supreme, august, noble, superior, imposing, splendid, magnificent, grand, excellent: Her imperial presence outshone all at the ball.
impermeable | impermeable: adj. impenetrable, impassable, impervious, closed, sealed, hermetic: The floor has been damp-proofed by the insertion of an impermeable membrane under the concrete.
impersonal | impersonal: adj. 1 detached, objective, disinterested, fair, equitable, dispassionate, unprejudiced, unbiased: The enforcement of the law should be entirely impersonal. 2 formal, stiff, strait-laced, wooden, rigid, prim, stuffy, cool, detached, unfriendly, cold, mechanical: Why does my bank manager have to be so impersonal?
impertinence | impertinence: n. insolence, boldness, brazenness, impudence, presumption, presumptuousness, brashness, sauciness, pertness, incivility, forwardness, impoliteness, discourtesy, disrespect, audacity, rudeness, effrontery, Colloq cheek, brass, brassiness, nerve, gall, Slang chutzpah: Why, the impertinence of that waitress to call you by your Christian name!
impertinent | impertinent: adj. presumptuous, insolent, bold, brazen, impudent, brash, saucy, pert, uncivil, forward, impolite, discourteous, disrespectful, audacious, rude, Colloq cheeky, fresh, brassy, US nervy: That impertinent little upstart had the nerve to ask the lady''s age!
impetuous | impetuous: adj. spontaneous, unpremeditated, impulsive, unplanned, hasty, abrupt, precipitate, quick, unthinking, unreasoned, offhand, rash, reckless, spur-of-the-moment, unreflective, headlong: Don''t be impetuous and accept the first offer that comes along.
impetus | impetus: n. drive, stimulus, push, impulse, goad, thrust, energy, momentum, stimulation, incentive, motivation, encouragement, inspiration: Roger''s innovative ideas provided the impetus to develop new products.
impious | impious: adj. irreligious, irreverent, ungodly, sacrilegious, blasphemous, profane, unholy, wicked, sinful, iniquitous: The priest said that he would be punished for his impious remarks.
implacable | implacable: adj. unappeasable, unmollifiable, unpacifiable, unforgiving, intractable, uncompromising, inflexible, inexorable, unyielding, unrelenting, ruthless, cruel, pitiless, merciless, hard, rigid, unsympathetic, uncompassionate: Ever since that incident at school he has been my implacable enemy.
implant | implant: v. 1 introduce, instil, insinuate, inject; indoctrinate, inculcate, teach, impress, imprint: They spent months implanting that notion in his mind. 2 graft, root, embed, inlay: You must implant the scion nearer the main stem. --n. 3 graft, scion, ingraft; insert: Are they really experimenting with brain implants to improve the memory?
implausible | implausible: adj. improbable, unlikely, doubtful, dubious, questionable, unbelievable, incredible, far-fetched, unconvincing, debatable, unreasonable: He told an implausible tale of having been raised by apes.
implement | implement: n. 1 utensil, tool, instrument, apparatus, device, appliance, contrivance, mechanism, (piece of) equipment, Colloq gadget, contraption: You need the proper implement for measuring inside diameters. --v. 2 carry out, execute, accomplish, perform, achieve, (put into) effect, bring about, cause, fulfil, realize: You will need our help to implement the plan.
implicate | implicate: v. 1 involve, include, associate, embroil, ensnare, entrap, enmesh, entangle: Don''t implicate me in your hare-brained schemes! 2 incriminate, inculpate, connect, involve, associate, suspect, concern: Wasn''t he implicated in that fraud case last year?
implication | implication: n. 1 involvement, connection, inclusion, association, entanglement: My implication in that affair was minimal. 2 suggestion, hint, insinuation, innuendo, intimation: I resent the implication that I had anything to do with the murder. 3 significance, purport, drift, meaning, denotation, conclusion, inference, import, connotation, sense, burden, substance, essence, pith: The implication of the article is that the government knew about the illegal exports all along.
implicit | implicit: adj. 1 implied, indirect, inferable, understood, unspoken, undeclared, tacit, inherent, inferential, latent: Certain provisions are implicit in every legal contract and need not be expressed. 2 absolute, unquestioning, unquestioned, unqualified, total, sheer, complete, unmitigated, unalloyed, undiluted, unlimited, unconditional, unreserved, utter, full, wholehearted: I have implicit faith in Nicole''s judgement.
imply | imply: v. 1 suggest, hint (at), intimate, insinuate: Are you implying that I don''t know what I''m talking about? 2 connote, allude to, refer to, advert to, signify, signal, betoken, denote, indicate, mean, express; involve, include, evidence, assume, presume, entail: Silence sometimes implies consent. Discovery of the tools implies a more advanced culture.
impolite | impolite: adj. discourteous, ill-mannered, uncivil, rude, ungracious, ungentlemanly, unladylike, pert, disrespectful, saucy, boorish, churlish, crude, indecorous, indelicate, unrefined, ill-bred, vulgar, coarse: The waiter was so impolite that I refused him a tip.
imponderable | imponderable: adj. unmeasurable, inestimable, inconceivable, incomprehensible, subtle: There are too many imponderable questions to give you a definite answer.
import | import: v. 1 introduce, bring in: We import the raw materials and export the finished product. 2 convey, mean, signify, denote, imply, betoken: He was a dictator, in all the senses that word imports. --n. 3 meaning, sense, denotation, signification, gist, drift, thrust, intention, implication, purport, connotation, suggestion, allusion, intimation: It was difficult for me to catch the import of her words. 4 importance, significance, weight, consequence, moment, substance: One could see at once that she was a personage of some import.
importance | importance: n. 1 significance, consequence, import, value, worth, weight, account, concern, moment, substance, matter: How chemicals affect the ozone layer is of great importance to everyone. 2 eminence, distinction, esteem, standing, status, position, rank, prominence, pre-eminence, prestige, power, influence, note: His family is of considerable importance in the community.
important | important: adj. 1 significant, consequential, critical, material, vital, urgent, portentous, weighty, grave, substantial, momentous, signal: If it is important, put it in writing. 2 leading, prominent, notable, noted, noteworthy, worthy, eminent, distinguished, respected, high-ranking, top-level, high-level, superior, outstanding, foremost, conspicuous, impressive: She is the most important member of the committee. 3 influential, effective, well-connected, powerful, formidable, mighty, impressive: With those important politicians supporting him, he might win.
impose | impose: v. 1 inflict, force, foist: Stop imposing your standards on others. 2 interrupt, interfere, intrude, interpose, insinuate: I hope I am not imposing? 3 levy, place, put, exact: A tax has been imposed on entertainment. 4 impose on or upon. a saddle, burden: He imposes on everyone with his demands for charity. b exploit, take advantage (of), misuse: I hope I am not imposing on your good will in what I ask.
imposing | imposing: adj. grand, magnificent, impressive, stately, august, majestic, effective, commanding: In his dress uniform, the general was an imposing presence at the reception.
imposition | imposition: n. 1 inflicting, infliction; applying, application, enforcing, enforcement, levy, levying, promulgating, promulgation, introducing, introduction, placing, placement, laying on: People resent the imposition of a curfew. 2 burden, onus, weight; intrusion, misuse: A flat-rate tax is a terrible imposition on the poor. Walking the dog is an imposition on my time.
impossible | impossible: adj. 1 hopeless, impracticable, inconceivable, unimaginable, unthinkable, unattainable, unsuitable, out of the question, unachievable, unrealizable, unworkable, unresolvable, unsolvable: Reading of the cipher is impossible without a key. 2 absurd, ludicrous, preposterous, ridiculous, illogical, unworkable, outrageous, farcical, outlandish, crazy, weird: Inventors came up with the most impossible designs for aeroplanes.
impostor | impostor: n. imposter, impersonator, pretender, deceiver, cheat, fraud, swindler, trickster, confidence man, shark, charlatan, mountebank, hypocrite, Colloq con man, phoney or US also phony, tricky Dick, flimflam man, US four-flusher: It wasn''t the bank manager but an impostor.
impotence | impotence: n. 1 weakness, powerlessness, helplessness, frailty, feebleness, enervation, debilitation: The doctor said that his impotence was caused by exhaustion. 2 impotency, inadequacy, inefficacy, ineffectualness, ineffectiveness, ineptness, incompetence: Georgiana was frustrated by her impotence in dealing with the situation. 3 sterility, infertility: Eating raw eggs and oysters does not cure impotence.
impotent | impotent: adj. 1 weak, powerless, helpless, frail, feeble, enervated, debilitated, infirm: When it came to political influence, I was impotent. 2 inadequate, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, incompetent: The attempted robbery was a half-hearted, impotent effort. 3 sterile, barren, infertile, infecund: They never had any children because Dixon was impotent.
impoverished | impoverished: adj. 1 destitute, poor, poverty-stricken, penurious, beggared, needy, necessitous, impecunious, in sore or bad straits, straitened, in distress, badly off, bankrupt, insolvent, ruined, Colloq (dead or flat) broke, stony-broke, bad off, pinched, up against it, on one''s uppers, short, US strapped, wiped out, Slang Brit skint: A series of failed harvests left many farmers impoverished. 2 stripped, barren, desolate, wasted, empty, depleted, denuded, drained, exhausted: Two years of drought left the land impoverished.
impracticable | impracticable: adj. 1 unworkable, infeasible or unfeasible, impossible, unattainable, unachievable: The new engine design proved impracticable because of its high fuel consumption. 2 unsuitable, unfit, unusable, useless, inapplicable: As we have no electricity, air conditioners are impracticable.
impractical | impractical: adj. 1 visionary, starry-eyed, unrealistic, romantic, quixotic, wild: Laura''s solutions are very creative but quite impractical. 2 useless, ineffective, ineffectual, unworkable, unavailing, impracticable: The idea looked good on paper but proved impractical when we tried it.
imprecise | imprecise: adj. inexact, inaccurate, wrong, inexplicit, indefinite, ill-defined, indistinct, vague, hazy, cloudy, blurred, fuzzy, woolly, ambiguous: The readings are imprecise because the needle wavers so much.
impregnable | impregnable: adj. invulnerable, impenetrable, inviolable, unconquerable, invincible, unbeatable, indomitable, secure, safe, mighty, well-fortified: The walls of the castle, sixteen feet thick, were impregnable.
impregnate | impregnate: v. 1 fertilize, inseminate, fecundate, make pregnant: The female can be impregnated only during one ten-day interval each year. 2 imbue, suffuse, permeate, penetrate, pervade, infuse, saturate, drench, soak, steep, fill: The preservative must be allowed to impregnate the wood.
impress | impress: v. 1 affect, touch, move, reach, stir, strike, sway, influence, persuade, Colloq grab, get under one''s skin: She was genuinely impressed by his sincerity. 2 print, imprint, stamp, mark, engrave, emboss: Before the bowl was placed in the kiln, the potter''s seal was impressed in its underside. 3 Often, impress on or upon. stress, emphasize, urge, bring home (to): They tried to impress on him the gravity of the situation.
impression | impression: n. 1 sensation, feeling, sense, suspicion, awareness, consciousness, idea, belief, fancy, notion: I have the impression that I have been here before. She gave me the impression that she didn''t like me. 2 impact, effect, influence: Are you concerned about the impression of his speech on the crowd? 3 dent, indentation, depression, hollow, mark; stamp, impress, brand: Look here, where the chair has made an impression in the carpet. 4 printing, issue, print, copy, run: This is the third impression from the original plates. 5 impersonation, imitation; parody, satire, Colloq take-off, Brit send-up: After dinner, Gerry did his impression of Churchill.
impressionable | impressionable: adj. suggestible, susceptible, persuadable or persuasible, impressible, receptive, responsive: They seek to enrol students who are at an impressionable age.
impressive | impressive: adj. evocative, moving, affecting, stimulating, exciting, stirring, powerful, provocative, arousing, awe-inspiring, awesome, imposing, formidable, portentous, redoubtable: She has many impressive talents.
imprison | imprison: v. incarcerate, confine, detain, remand, jail or Brit also gaol, lock up, intern, shut up, put behind bars, put in or throw into irons, put away, Colloq Brit send down, US send up (the river): He was imprisoned for a crime he didn''t commit.
imprisonment | imprisonment: n. incarceration, confinement, detention, remand, custody, Literary durance (vile): The sentence is imprisonment for not less than one year.
improbable | improbable: adj. doubtful, dubious, unlikely, questionable, unrealistic, far-fetched, remote, implausible, unthinkable, hard to believe or imagine, inconceivable, unbelievable, fanciful, incredible, ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd, crazy, mad, insane, wild, weird, peculiar, strange; impossible; Colloq fishy: It is improbable that they will marry. He gave the most improbable excuses.
improper | improper: adj. 1 wrong, mistaken, erroneous, false, incorrect, inaccurate, inexact, imprecise, amiss, faulty, untrue, irregular, abnormal: Sloppy research had led to improper conclusions. 2 unfit, unsuitable, inappropriate, inapt, inapplicable, infelicitous, incongruous, unsuited, unseemly, unbefitting, unfitting, uncalled-for, inapposite, malapropos, out of keeping, out of place, incompatible, inopportune: Do you think it improper for shops to open on Sundays? His wedding was an improper occasion for comments about his philandering. 3 indecorous, indecent, indelicate, immodest, unseemly, untoward, unbecoming, impolite, suggestive, risqu�, off colour, obscene, corrupt, immoral, sinful, wicked, lewd, lascivious: Do you see anything improper in sex education for children?
impropriety | impropriety: n. 1 improperness, erroneousness, incorrectness, falsity, falseness, inaccuracy, inaccurateness, inexactitude, inexactness, imprecision, impreciseness, irregularity, abnormality: I fail to see the impropriety in refusing to support capital punishment. 2 unfitness, unsuitableness, inappropriateness, inaptness, inapplicability, infelicity, infelicitousness, incongruity, incongruousness, unseemliness, incompatibility, inopportuneness: The judge criticized the impropriety of allowing the child to testify. 3 indecorousness, bad or poor taste, indecency, indelicacy, immodesty, unseemliness, suggestiveness, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness, lewdness, lasciviousness: In those days, the impropriety in wearing a brief bathing costume was thought shocking. 4 slip, blunder, mistake, error, gaffe, gaucherie, faux pas: She admitted to many improprieties during her term of office.
improve | improve: v. 1 better, ameliorate, upgrade, uplift, amend, enhance, fix up, reform, redeem, rehabilitate, redress, repair, correct, rectify, put or set right, emend; modernize, update, refurbish, recondition, renovate, repair, overhaul, remodel: We must improve procedures for dealing with small claims. The landlord refuses to spend any money to improve the property. 2 develop, increase, advance, promote, further, benefit; look up, recover, pick up, Colloq give a new lease of or US on life, take a turn for the better, US take a new lease on life: How can I improve my chances of winning at snooker? Business has improved considerably. 3 convalesce, recuperate, recover, get better, mend, rally, (make) progress, gain (strength or ground), revive: Mrs Costello is out of intensive care and improving daily.
improvement | improvement: n. 1 betterment, amelioration; reform, rehabilitation, upgrading, enhancement, repair: The committee is working for the improvement of the neighbourhood. 2 recovery, rise, increase, gain, advance, upswing, progress; recuperation, convalescence: There was an improvement in share prices after release of the trade figures. The patient shows considerable improvement. 3 advance, change for the better: This year''s crop is an improvement over last year''s.
improvident | improvident: adj. 1 short-sighted, imprudent, wasteful, profligate, prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant, lavish, profuse, happy-go-lucky, penny wise and pound foolish, uneconomic(al), thriftless: He who is improvident in his youth plans for a short life. 2 incautious, unwary, rash, reckless, impulsive, impetuous, headlong, heedless, careless, unthinking, unthoughtful, unmindful: The club''s present financial straits are the result of having an improvident treasurer.
improvise | improvise: n. 1 ad lib, extemporize, Colloq play (it) by ear, fake it, wing it: I like a comedian who improvises as he goes along. 2 invent, concoct, devise, contrive, jury-rig; make do: We had to improvise a mast from parts of the boom. When you have nothing to work with, you have to improvise.
imprudent | imprudent: adj. indiscreet, impulsive, rash, reckless, hasty, incautious, impetuous, improvident, careless, heedless, foolhardy, irresponsible, injudicious, ill-judged, thoughtless, ill-considered, ill-advised, inadvisable, unwise, inexpedient, foolish, mad, crazy, insane, inane, silly, perverse, wrong, wrong-headed: It would be imprudent to go out during the storm.
impudence | impudence: n. impertinence, effrontery, insolence, disrespect, presumption, presumptuousness, audacity, shamelessness, pertness, sauciness, boldness, brazenness, incivility, rudeness, impoliteness, Colloq lip, gall, guff, sauce, mouth, Brit backchat, side, US back talk, Slang chutzpah: He had the impudence to suggest that I was too old for the job!
impudent | impudent: adj. shameless, impertinent, insolent, disrespectful, forward, presumptuous, audacious, pert, saucy, bold, brazen, cocky, cocksure, arrogant, uncivil, ill-mannered, rude, impolite, Colloq fresh, brassy, cheeky: Asked the simplest question, she is always ready with an impudent response.
impulsive | impulsive: n. impetuous, emotional, unpredictable, unpremeditated, unplanned, spur-of-the-moment, extemporaneous, unconsidered, offhand, instinctive, involuntary, spontaneous, quick, sudden, precipitate, immediate, snap, rash, headlong, rash, reckless, devil-may-care, foolhardy, madcap, wild: You may say that it was impulsive of me to give her all that money, but I love her.
impure | impure: adj. 1 dirty, soiled, unclean, sullied, tainted, polluted, defiled, foul, filthy, feculent, infected, scummy, putrid, putrescent, rotten: The water is impure and not fit to drink. 2 mixed, alloyed, contaminated, adulterated, debased, unrefined: Impure ore contains other substances which are removed during processing. 3 unclean, unhallowed, forbidden, disallowed, Judaism tref or treif or treifa: Certain foods are considered impure in some religions. 4 unchaste, immoral, sinful, wicked, evil, vile, unvirtuous, unvirginal, corrupted, defiled, debased, vitiated, degenerate, depraved, loose, wanton, lustful, promiscuous, libidinous, dissolute, licentious, obscene, prurient, dirty, filthy, lubricious or lubricous, salacious, lascivious, lewd, lecherous: The book was condemned as ''likely to encourage impure thoughts''.
impurity | impurity: n. 1 pollution, contamination, defilement, adulteration, dirtiness, uncleanness, foulness: The impurity of the water in our rivers is a cause for concern. 2 Often, impurities. dirt, contaminant, pollutant, pollution, smut, filth, foreign matter or body: This filter is guaranteed to remove impurities from the water. 3 unchastity, immorality, sinfulness, wickedness, evil, vileness, corruption, degeneration, depravity, looseness, wantonness, lust, lustfulness, promiscuity, promiscuousness, libidinousness, dissoluteness, licentiousness, obscenity, prurience, dirtiness, filthiness, lubricity, salaciousness, lasciviousness, lewdness, lecherousness: Children ought not be exposed to the impurity encountered on everyday television.
imputation | imputation: n. charge, indictment, accusation, allegation, challenge, censure, blame, reproach, slur, aspersion, attribution, ascription, insinuation, implication, innuendo: I resent the imputation that I broke the vase on purpose.
impute | impute: v. ascribe, assign, attribute, credit, charge, put or set down to; insinuate, imply, suggest, hint at: The critic imputed meanings to the book that the author had never intended.
