imposing

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/ UK /ɪmˈpəʊzɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
grand and impressive in size or appearance

The cathedral was an imposing structure dominating the skyline.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · grand and impressive in... impressive grand striking commanding majestic stately

Opposites

unimposingmodest insignificant unimpressive

Word family

Derived forms imposinglyimposingness

Related forms impose imposition pose compose

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

imposing edifice
a large building whose scale or appearance commands attention

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From impose (from Old French imposer, from Latin imponere 'to place upon', from in- 'on' + ponere 'to put, place') + the present-participle suffix -ing.

imponere Latin ponere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# imposing

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈpəʊzɪŋ/

## Meanings
1. grand and impressive in size or appearance

## Examples
- The cathedral was an imposing structure dominating the skyline.

## Synonyms
- impressive
- grand
- striking
- commanding
- majestic
- stately

## Antonyms
- unimposing
- modest
- insignificant
- unimpressive

## Derived Forms
- imposingly
- imposingness

## Related Forms
- impose
- imposition
- pose
- compose

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: imponere
- Root: ponere - to put

## Etymology
From impose (from Old French imposer, from Latin imponere 'to place upon', from in- 'on' + ponere 'to put, place') + the present-participle suffix -ing.

## AI Etymology
Imposing is from impose (from Old French imposer, from Latin imponere 'to place upon', from in- 'on' + ponere 'to put, place') + the present-participle suffix -ing. Important recorded forms include imponere (Latin) and ponere (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers grand and impressive in size or appearance. The wider family includes derived forms such as imposingly and imposingness and related words such as impose, imposition, pose, and compose.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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