Impact
WordNet
noun
(1) Influencing strongly
"They resented the impingement of American values on European culture"
(2) The violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat
"The armies met in the shock of battle"
(3) The striking of one body against another
(4) A forceful consequence; a strong effect
"The book had an important impact on my thinking"
"The book packs a wallop"
verb
(5) Have an effect upon
"Will the new rules affect me?"
(6) Press or wedge together; pack together
WiktionaryText
Noun
- The force or energy of a collision of two objects.
- The hatchet cut the wood on impact.
- A forced impinging.
- His spine had an impingement; L4 and L5 made impact, which caused numbness in his leg.
- A significant or strong influence; an effect.
- His friend's opinion had an impact on his decision.
- Our choice of concrete will have a tremendous impact on the building's mechanical performance.
Verb
- To compress; to compact; to press or pack together.
- If fecal incontinence is caused by impacted stool in the rectum, the impaction must be removed.
- To influence; to affect; to have an impact on.
- I can make the changes, but it will impact the schedule.
- To collide or strike.
- When the hammer impacts the nail, it bends.
Usage notes
Some authorities object to the use of impact to mean "to influence; to affect; to have an impact on" or to mean "to collide or strike". Such usage seems to be an adaptation of the colloquial noun form of impact to use as a verb.