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imposant

imposing

adjective ehm-poh-ZAHN Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Sizes & Shapes

Also means

impressive

Usage Note

Imposant describes something or someone whose size, grandeur, or authority commands respect and attention. The feminine form is imposante. It is consistently positive in connotation — a bâtiment imposant is an awe-inspiring building, not a threatening one. It should not be confused with important ('important'), a common false-friend trap for anglophone learners.

Examples

"La cathédrale est un édifice imposant."

Natural Translation

The cathedral is an imposing structure.

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