impressionist
impressionist — noun
1. a performer who makes people laugh by imitating the voice, movements, and typica
a performer who makes people laugh by imitating the voice, movements, and typical phrases of well-known public figures.
At the comedy festival, Sivan worked as an impressionist, mimicking four celebrities in one show.
collocation: worked as an impressionist
The television network hired an impressionist who could imitate the actor's voice and gestures perfectly.
collocation: hire + impressionist
Niran began his career as an impressionist on a talent show, copying a comedian's voice.
The impressionist Adaeze made the audience roar with laughter imitating the pop star perfectly.
Many young performers dream of becoming an impressionist who could appear on national television.
- impersonator
more direct term stressing the act of copying a specific person's identity
- mimic
less formal; can describe anyone who copies gestures or speech, not necessarily a paid entertainer
- copycat
informal and often disapproving; suggests unoriginal copying rather than skilled entertainment
文法句型
an impressionist of [famous person]
[determiner] + impressionist
用法筆記
The person being imitated is often introduced with 'of': 'an impressionist of the Prime Minister.' Distinguish from sense 2 (art) by context: if the description involves comedy, voices, or celebrity behaviour, it is sense 1.
常見錯誤
2. an artist, especially a painter, whose work follows the late-19th-century French
an artist, especially a painter, whose work follows the late-19th-century French movement called Impressionism, which aims to show the changing effects of light and colour in everyday scenes.
The impressionist Claude Monet often painted outdoor scenes with quick brushstrokes to capture changing light.
impressionist [name] + painted [outdoor subjects]
As an impressionist, Shirin paints landscapes directly from nature rather than in a studio.
As an impressionist, [person] paints directly from nature
The museum's collection includes works by every major impressionist from the late nineteenth century.
Art critics called Anna an impressionist because her work showed the effects of natural light.
Each impressionist developed their own style while sharing an interest in everyday life and colour.
- painter
a general term for anyone who paints; does not specify which artistic movement they belong to
- artist
broader term covering all creative fields, not limited to painting or Impressionism
- expressionist
a different movement; expressionists focused on emotional experience rather than visual light effects
文法句型
[nationality] impressionist
major/great/French impressionist
用法筆記
Frequently modified by nationality: 'French impressionist', 'American impressionist.' Distinguished from sense 1 (entertainer) by context: if the description mentions painting, a gallery, or an artistic movement, it is sense 2.
常見錯誤
impressionist — adjective
1. describing the artistic style or movement called Impressionism, which gives a ge
describing the artistic style or movement called Impressionism, which gives a general feeling or effect of a scene rather than showing every exact detail.
The exhibition featured impressionist paintings of water lilies and gardens in soft, bright colours.
impressionist paintings of [natural subjects]
Charlotte studied impressionist techniques such as painting with short, visible brushstrokes.
impressionist techniques + brushstrokes
The gallery has a new room dedicated to impressionist works from the 1870s.
Many visitors travel to Paris to see impressionist masterpieces at the Musée d'Orsay.
The impressionist style uses bright colours and focuses on how light changes a scene.
- impressionistic
can describe both the art movement and, more broadly, any style that gives a general feeling rather than exact details
- painterly
relates to qualities of painting in general, not specifically to the Impressionist movement
- realist
a style that aims to show subjects exactly as they appear, as opposed to Impressionism's focus on light and feeling
文法句型
impressionist [art-related noun]
用法筆記
Only used with nouns related to art, painting, or visual style — 'impressionist painting,' 'impressionist technique,' 'impressionist movement.' It does not apply to general situations (one does not say 'an impressionist description' unless explicitly referring to the art style).