imposition

I1M3P3O1S1I1T1I1O1N1
US, UK/ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/

noun

The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.

Meanings

nounimposition (countable and uncountable, plural impositions)

plural impositions

  1. countableuncountableThe act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.

    Synonyms: imposure, infliction, obtrusion

  2. countableuncountableAn unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation.

    He expunges his own anguish at his diagnosis with HIV and the impositions that have claimed his freedom.

    1991 May 4, Mary Dowd, “Risky Business”, in Gay Community News, page 7
    1 more example

    They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder.

    1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169
  3. countableuncountableThat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined.

    Synonyms: burden, charge, enjoinder, injunction, tax

  4. countableuncountableA trick or deception put or laid on others.

    Synonyms: cheating, deception, delusion, fraud, imposture, trick

  5. countableuncountablemediaArrangement of a printed product’s pages on the printer's sheet so as to have the pages in proper order in the final product.
  6. countableuncountablelifestyleA practice of laying hands on a person in a religious ceremony; used e.g. in confirmation and ordination.
  7. UKcountableuncountableschool or university slangA task imposed on a student as punishment.

    Synonyms: impot

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.

nounThat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined.

nounA trick or deception put or laid on others.

nounA task imposed on a student as punishment.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe act of imposing something (as a tax or an embargo)

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinimpositio
  2. Old Frenchimposicion
  3. Middle Englishimposicioun
  4. Englishimposition

From Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic فَرْض
  • فَرْض (farḍ)act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
Bulgarian налагане, възлагане
  • налагане (nalagane)act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • възлагане (văzlagane)act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • налог (nalog)that which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • домашно за наказание (domašno za nakazanie)school: task imposed as punishment
Dutch strafwerk
  • strafwerkschool: task imposed as punishment
Finnish määrääminen, asettaminen
  • määrääminenact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • asettaminenact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • liittäminenact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • kieltäminenact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • kättenpäällepaneminenreligion: laying on of hands
  • huijausan unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation
  • määräysthat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • maksuthat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • kieltothat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • asemointiarrangement of pages on printing sheet
  • arkkiasemointiarrangement of pages on printing sheet
  • laiskanläksyschool: task imposed as punishment
German Zumutung, Belästigung
  • Zumutungact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • Belästigungact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • Handauflegenreligion: laying on of hands
  • Zumutungthat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • Bürdethat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • Strafarbeitschool: task imposed as punishment
Hungarian kiszabás, kivetés
  • kiszabásact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • kivetésact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • kirovásact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • előírásact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • kézrátételreligion: laying on of hands
  • megterhelésan unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation
  • tehertételan unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation
  • teherthat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • kilövésarrangement of pages on printing sheet
  • belövésarrangement of pages on printing sheet
  • büntetési feladatschool: task imposed as punishment
  • büntetőfeladatschool: task imposed as punishment
Indonesian imposisi
  • imposisiarrangement of pages on printing sheet
Italian imposizione, obbligo
  • imposizioneact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • obbligoact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
  • imposizionereligion: laying on of hands
  • ingannoan unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation
  • imbroglioan unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation
  • imposizionethat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
  • punizioneschool: task imposed as punishment
Māori uruhanga
  • uruhangaact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
Norwegian (pålagt) byrde
  • (pålagt) byrdethat which is imposed, levied, or enjoined
Spanish imposición
  • imposiciónact of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like
Cite this entry
APA

imposition. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imposition

MLA

“imposition.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imposition. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “imposition,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imposition.

Source: imposition on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.