Impression vs. Expression — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 17, 2023
Impression is a feeling or understanding about something or someone, often formed quickly or without full information. Expression is the act of conveying thoughts, feelings, or ideas through words, gestures, or art.
Difference Between Impression and Expression
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Impression refers to the mental image, feeling, or understanding one forms about something or someone, usually without complete information. Expression, on the other hand, is the way one communicates thoughts, feelings, or ideas, whether it's through words, facial gestures, or artistic mediums. While Impression is passive and internal, Expression is active and external.
Impression can be formed from various cues, such as appearance, behavior, or words, but it is a subjective interpretation. Expression, however, is objective in the sense that it is an observable action, designed by an individual or entity to communicate a specific message. Impression is an internal response, while Expression serves as an external stimulus.
An Impression can be fleeting, changing with new information or experiences. It's something you feel rather than deliberately perform. Expression, however, is a more intentional action, whether it's a conscious choice of words or an art form like painting. While you can control your Expression, your Impression is often beyond your control, subject to interpretation by others.
Impression is often what you're left with after an interaction or experience. It's an internal, personal understanding or feeling. Expression is what you put out into the world. It’s the way you communicate what you think, feel, or understand. While Impressions are subjective and personal, Expressions are designed for sharing and mutual understanding.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Passive, internal
Active, external
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Subjectivity
Subjective
Objective (observable)
Control
Often beyond your control
Within your control
Temporality
Can change over time
Usually a specific, intentional act
Function
Reception, understanding
Communication, conveyance
Compare with Definitions
Impression
An idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence
His first impressions of Manchester were very positive
I got the impression that he was sorely disappointed
Expression
The action of making known one's thoughts or feelings
She accepted his expressions of sympathy
The prisoners developed a dialect as an everyday means of expression
Impression
A mark impressed on a surface
The impression of his body on the leaves
Expression
Expression refers to an artistic portrayal of ideas.
The painting is an Expression of his grief.
Impression
The printing of a number of copies of a book, periodical, or picture for issue at one time.
Expression
Expression can refer to a mathematical statement.
Solve for x in the Expression 2x + 3 = 7.
Impression
All the copies of a publication printed at one time from the same set of type.
Expression
A look on someone's face that conveys a particular emotion
A sad expression
Impression
Impression can be the image portrayed to others.
He gives off the Impression of confidence.
Expression
A word or phrase, especially an idiomatic one, used to convey an idea
We have an expression, ‘You don't get owt for nowt.’
Impression
Impression can mean an imitation or mimicry.
His Impression of the president was spot-on.
Expression
The production of something by pressing it out
Essential oils obtained by distillation or expression
Impression
Impression refers to a single exposure to an advertisement.
The online ad received millions of Impressions.
Expression
The appearance in a phenotype of a characteristic or effect attributed to a particular gene
Expression of the TAT gene is restricted to the parenchymal cells
Impression
An imitation of a person or thing, done to entertain
He did an impression of Shirley Bassey
Expression
The act of expressing, conveying, or representing in words, art, music, or movement; a manifestation
An expression of rural values.
Impression
An instance of a pop-up or other online advertisement being seen on an Internet user's monitor.
Expression
Something that expresses or communicates
Let this plaque serve as an expression of our esteem.
Impression
An effect, feeling, or image retained as a consequence of experience
Seeing the glacier made a big impression on us.
Expression
(Mathematics) A symbol or combination of symbols that represents a quantity or a relationship between quantities.
Impression
A vague notion, remembrance, or belief
I have the impression that we have met once before.
Expression
The manner in which one expresses oneself, especially in speaking, depicting, or performing.
Impression
A mark produced on a surface by pressure.
Expression
A particular word or phrase
"an old Yankee expression ... 'Stand up and be counted'" (Charles Kuralt).
Impression
The act or process of impressing
The impression of the company's name in the products is done by machine.
Expression
The outward manifestation of a mood or a disposition
My tears are an expression of my grief.
Impression
A single copy of such a printing.
Expression
A facial aspect or a look that conveys a special feeling
An expression of scorn.
Impression
A humorous imitation of the voice and mannerisms of a famous person.
Expression
The act of pressing or squeezing out.
Impression
An initial or single coat of color or paint.
Expression
(Genetics) The act or process of expressing a gene.
Impression
(Dentistry) An imprint of the teeth and surrounding tissues, formed with a plastic material that hardens into a mold for use in making dentures, inlays, or plastic models.
Expression
The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
Impression
The indentation or depression made by the pressure of one object on or into another.
His head made an impression on the pillow.
Expression
A particular way of phrasing an idea.
Impression
The overall effect of something, e.g., on a person.
He tried to make a good impression on his parents.
Expression
A colloquialism or idiom.
The expression "break a leg!" should not be taken literally.
Impression
A vague recalling of an event, a belief.
I have the impression that he's already left for Paris.
Expression
A facial appearance usually associated with an emotion.
They stared at the newcomer with a puzzled expression.
The best poker players can tell if the opponents have a good hand by looking at their expression.
Her expression changed from joy to misery after realising her winning lottery ticket had expired.
Impression
An impersonation, an imitation of the mannerisms of another individual.
Expression
(mathematics) An arrangement of symbols denoting values, operations performed on them, and grouping symbols.
Impression
An outward appearance.
Expression
(biology) The process of translating a gene into a protein.
Impression
(advertising) An online advertising performance metric representing an instance where an ad is shown once.
Expression
(programming) A piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value.
Impression
(painting) The first coat of colour, such as the priming in house-painting etc.
Expression
A specific blend of whisky.
Impression
(engraving) A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, etc.
Expression
(biology) (manufacturing) The act of pressing or squeezing out.
Expression from a gland
Breast milk expression can be achieved by hand or with a pump.
However the mechanical expression of juice led to an improvement of the solutes extraction from mash.
Impression
(philosophy) The vivid perception of something as it is experienced, in contrast to ideas or thoughts drawn from memory or the imagination.
Expression
(music) The tone of voice or sound in music.
Impression
(printing) set of copies of a publication printed at one time having the same content, layout, pagination, etc.
Expression
Emotional involvement or engagement in a text read aloud rendered by the voice of the reciter or the reader
Impression
To manipulate a blank key within a lock so as to mark it with impressions of the shape of the lock, which facilitates creation of a duplicate key.
Expression
The act of expressing; the act of forcing out by pressure; as, the expression of juices or oils; also, of extorting or eliciting; as, a forcible expression of truth.
Impression
The act of impressing, or the state of being impressed; the communication of a stamp, mold, style, or character, by external force or by influence.
Expression
The act of declaring or signifying; declaration; utterance; as, an expression of the public will.
With this tone of philosophy were mingled expressions of sympathy.
Impression
That which is impressed; stamp; mark; indentation; sensible result of an influence exerted from without.
The stamp and clear impression of good sense.
To shelter us from impressions of weather, we must spin, we must weave, we must build.
Expression
Lively or vivid representation of meaning, sentiment, or feeling, etc.; significant and impressive indication, whether by language, appearance, or gesture; that manner or style which gives life and suggestive force to ideas and sentiments; as, he reads with expression; her performance on the piano has expression.
The imitators of Shakespeare, fixing their attention on his wonderful power of expression, have directed their imitation to this.
Impression
That which impresses, or exercises an effect, action, or agency; appearance; phenomenon.
Portentous blaze of comets and impressions in the air.
A fiery impression falling from out of Heaven.
Expression
That which is expressed by a countenance, a posture, a work of art, etc.; look, as indicative of thought or feeling.
It still wore the majesty of expression so conspicuous in his portraits by the inimitable pencil of Titian.
Impression
Influence or effect on the senses or the intellect hence, interest, concern.
His words impression left.
Such terrible impression made the dream.
I have a father's dear impression,And wish, before I fall into my grave,That I might see her married.
Expression
A form of words in which an idea or sentiment is conveyed; a mode of speech; a phrase; as, a common expression; an odd expression.
Impression
An indistinct notion, remembrance, or belief.
Expression
The representation of any quantity or relation by appropriate characters or symbols, usually in a specific order.
Impression
Impressiveness; emphasis of delivery.
Which must be read with an impression.
Expression
The production of products by a gene that cause the appearance of the corresponding protein or phenotype; - of a gene or of an organism with a specific gene; as, the expression the beta-galactosidase positive phenotype,
Impression
The pressure of the type on the paper, or the result of such pressure, as regards its appearance; as, a heavy impression; a clear, or a poor, impression; also, a single copy as the result of printing, or the whole edition printed at a given time; as, a copy from the fifth impression.
Ten impressions which his books have had.
Expression
A combination of characters linked by operators, occurring as part of the code of a computer program, which must be evaluated according to the rules of the computer language in order to produce a resulting value.
Impression
In painting, the first coat of color, as the priming in house painting and the like.
Expression
The expression on a person's face;
A sad expression
A look of triumph
An angry face
Impression
A print on paper from a wood block, metal plate, or the like.
Expression
Expression without words;
Tears are an expression of grief
The pulse is a reflection of the heart's condition
Impression
A vague idea in which some confidence is placed;
His impression of her was favorable
What are your feelings about the crisis?
It strengthened my belief in his sincerity
I had a feeling that she was lying
Expression
The communication (in speech or writing) of your beliefs or opinions;
Expressions of good will
He helped me find expression for my ideas
Impression
An outward appearance;
He made a good impression
I wanted to create an impression of success
She retained that bold effect in her reproductions of the original painting
Expression
A word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations;
Pardon the expression
Impression
A clear and telling mental image;
He described his mental picture of his assailant
He had no clear picture of himself or his world
The events left a permanent impression in his mind
Expression
The style of expressing yourself;
He suggested a better formulation
His manner of expression showed how much he cared
Impression
A concavity in a surface produced by pressing;
He left the impression of his fingers in the soft mud
Expression
A group of symbols that make a mathematical statement
Impression
A symbol that is the result of printing;
He put his stamp on the envelope
Expression
(genetics) the process of expressing a gene
Impression
All the copies of a work printed at one time;
They ran off an initial printing of 2000 copies
Expression
A group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit;
I concluded from his awkward constructions that he was a foreigner
Impression
(dentistry) an imprint of the teeth and gums in wax or plaster;
The dentist took an impression for use in preparing an inlay
Expression
The act of forcing something out by squeezing or pressing;
The expression of milk from her breast
Impression
An impressionistic portrayal of a person;
He did a funny impression of a politician
Expression
Expression is the act of conveying thoughts through words.
His Expression of love was heartfelt.
Impression
The act of pressing one thing on or into the surface of another;
He watched the impression of the seal on the hot wax
Expression
Expression can mean a facial or bodily gesture.
Her Expression changed when she heard the news.
Impression
Impression is a quick judgment or feeling about something.
I got the Impression that she was unhappy.
Expression
Expression means a commonly used phrase or saying.
Raining cats and dogs is an Expression.
Impression
Impression refers to the mark or impact left by an experience.
The speech made a lasting Impression on me.
Common Curiosities
Is Impression subjective?
Yes, Impression is usually subjective and based on individual interpretation.
Is Expression objective?
Expression is generally objective as it involves observable actions.
What is Impression?
Impression is the mental image or feeling formed about something or someone.
What is Expression?
Expression is the act of conveying thoughts, feelings, or ideas.
Is Impression an internal process?
Yes, Impression is an internal process related to your understanding or feelings.
Can Expression be quantified?
Some forms of Expression, like language or art, can be analyzed or quantified.
Is Expression constant?
Expression can vary but is usually a specific, intentional act at any moment.
Is Expression an external process?
Yes, Expression is external, focusing on communication or conveyance.
Can you control your Impression?
Impression is often beyond your control and subject to others' interpretation.
Can you control your Expression?
Yes, Expression is usually within your control.
Do Impressions change?
Yes, Impressions can change over time with new information or experiences.
What can influence Impression?
Appearance, behavior, and words can influence Impression.
Can Impression be quantified?
Impression is generally hard to quantify, being subjective.
What forms can Expression take?
Expression can be verbal, non-verbal, or artistic.
Do Impression and Expression always align?
No, the Impression one has and the Expression one gives may not always align.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
