Definition of impressionistnext
as in performer
a person who imitates another's voice and mannerisms for comic effect a celebrated impressionist who can do enough rapid-fire imitations to populate an entire stage with characters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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impressionist

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impressionist
Noun
Mimics tells the story of Sam, a struggling impressionist who makes a pact with a wicked puppet. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026 The actor and impressionist, who has been with the show since 1989, has no idea what happens after that. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace appears like a post-impressionist vision, its beige crown backdropped by the freckled green of the Maniyagarh hills. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Her favorite is the impressionist Musée d'Orsay, which is undergoing renovation through summer 2028 but remains open. Eve Chen, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impressionist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impressionist
Noun
  • An aerial performer hung upside down from the ceiling while pouring Malört shots.
    Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Las Vegas performer Jeff Hutson brings his band for a Valentine’s Day show.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • There is something in the string arrangement that sounds a bit impressionistic to me, but also profoundly Mexican, with the trumpets doubling the violin lines.
    Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • It’s presented as an impressionistic historical montage, of Black farmworkers and the land, with clips of Black history that include modern suburbs, and a woman—Z herself—who gazes out of a door into a sere expanse of land bordered by low mountains.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Pacino and Hopkins have both won best actor Academy Awards (two prizes in the case of the Welsh icon), and Moresco won a best original screenplay Oscar for Crash in 2005.
    Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • On the development and production side, Lumicraft’s AI casting tool Castlink pairs actor discovery with contracting and settlement, while Reproduction’s Pre-Flow handles screenplay analysis and production data sharing.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Raimi and his collaborators go all out, ramping up the expressionistic filmmaking and embracing a clearer tone of comical absurdity.
    Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026
  • In his songs, the English language turned woolier and more expressionistic; musical space-time distended and stretched.
    New York Times, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Apart from her work as an entertainer, Parton was also known for her philanthropy.
    Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Dolly Parton the entertainer was also a bona fide mogul who transformed her corner of Appalachia.
    Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • For nearly 50 years, illustrator and comic book creator Bill Sienkiewicz has burned, splattered and slashed his way across the page with his expressionist approach to visual storytelling.
    Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.
    Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • No wonder More had so many imitators, who set about busily redrawing their own maps of the world.
    Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026
  • That’s because success begets imitators eager to compete away profits.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the photo, Parton impersonator Kelly Vohnn is seen in true Parton fashion, donned up in all the glitz and glamour fit for the star, wearing a white dress with shoulder pads covered in rhinestones, and sporting a small rhinestone waist belt.
    Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
  • After Parton died at age 80 on Tuesday, that night’s episode of Laura Coates Live featured a photo of Las Vegas celebrity impersonator Kelly Vohnn, for which the news network has since apologized.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impressionist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impressionist. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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