What does impassioning mean?
Impassioning describes language, behaviour, or a performance that expresses intense emotion or encourages others to feel strongly. As an adjective, it is commonly placed before words such as speech, appeal, defence, or address, describing words delivered with unusual emotional intensity. It can also be understood as the present participle of the verb impassion, meaning to arouse or inspire passion in someone. The form often suggests that emotion is not merely being described but actively created through the speaker’s words, arguments, or delivery. An impassioning speech may be moving, persuasive, theatrical, or even controversial, depending on the context. Although used in both British and American English, it is somewhat literary and less frequent than the more familiar adjective impassioned. Its distinctive contribution is its sense of active emotional power: it evokes language and ideas capable of stirring an audience.
Expressing strong emotion or enthusiasm; impassioned.
"The witness gave an impassioning account of the suffering she had witnessed."
This participial use is especially associated with speeches, appeals, arguments, and addresses.
As the present participle of impassion, arousing or filling someone or something with passion or strong emotion.
"The speaker was impassioning the audience with a powerful appeal for action."
This form is less common than the adjective sense and usually occurs in descriptive or literary contexts.
An impassioning speech does more than communicate ideas: it sets language on fire.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does impassioning come from?
Impassioning is formed from impassion, a word introduced into English from French during the early modern period and influenced by Italian impassionare, both meaning “to fill with passion.” These forms ultimately draw on Latin passionem, a noun associated with pati, “to suffer,” and with the endurance or experience of feeling. The English verb impassion combined this ancestry with the suffix -ing to create the present participle impassioning, which also developed into a participial adjective.
How impassioning is actually used
The word is literary and somewhat less common than impassioned. It is especially effective for speeches, appeals, arguments, and performances that convey or arouse intense feeling.
Easily confused with impassioning
Both words describe strong emotion, but impassioned is the usual past-participle adjective, whereas impassioning commonly functions as a participial adjective or as the present participle of impassion.