What does impassion mean?
Impassion is a formal word for intense emotion or fervor, and it can also be used as a verb meaning to fill someone or something with passion. In the noun sense, it describes an emotionally charged state rather than a specific feeling: someone may speak “with impassion,” suggesting powerful feeling, urgency, or indignation. In the verb sense, it describes the effect of language, art, or action on an audience: a rousing speech can impassion supporters and give them renewed resolve. The word carries elevated, literary associations and is less common in everyday conversation than passion, enthusiasm, or ardor, while impassioned is considerably more frequent than either impassion or the verb impassion. It is useful when the emphasis is on the intensity and mobilizing power of emotion rather than on its ordinary, everyday warmth. The distinction between the two senses is grammatical rather than substantial: the noun names the state of intense feeling, whereas the verb describes producing that state in others.
An intense or strongly charged state of emotion; fervor or passion.
"The witness responded with evident impassion."
A literary and comparatively uncommon noun, used chiefly in elevated prose.
To fill or inspire someone with passion or intense emotion.
"The music impassioned the dancers and gave the performance new intensity."
Literary in tone and less frequent in ordinary speech than the related adjective impassioned.
The plural is rare; the noun is normally used in the singular.
"The testimony was delivered with evident impassion."
Impassion began in French as a call to action: to fill people with passion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does impassion come from?
The word entered English in the late sixteenth century from French impassionner, meaning “to fill with passion.” French had borrowed its base from Latin passio, meaning “suffering” or “strong feeling,” and impassionner combined this with the Latin prefix in- (“into”). English subsequently developed closely related forms such as impassioned and impassionate, alongside cognate derivatives including passion, compassion, and dispassion.
Related word forms
How impassion is actually used
The word is formal and literary rather than everyday. The noun is normally used in the singular, while impassioned is much more common than either impassion as a noun or impassion as a verb.
Easily confused with impassion
Compassion is sympathy for someone who is suffering, whereas impassion is intense emotional fervor or the act of inspiring such fervor.