impact

Use the word "impact" when something or someone is affected or changed by another thing or another person. This word is similar to the word "influence."

In these examples, "impact" is a noun:

• The example set by Nelson Mandela has had a big impact on many people around the world.
• The speech on economic inequality made an impact on everyone who listened to it.
• Teachers try to have an impact on the students they teach.
• What kind of an impact did the presentation have on the audience?
• The moon shows evidence of impacts from comets and asteroids.

The impact from an asteroid can be quite large.

The word "impact" can also be used as a verb:

• The loss of funding has negatively impacted the organization.
• Christmas shopping impacts sales totals for the entire year.
• The snowstorm impacted everyone who was in its path.
• Gilbert is worried that budget cuts will impact his job.
• The death of the little girls impacted the entire community.

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This page was first published on December 10, 2013.