As a noun, impact is the force of one thing hitting another, or the strong effect something has on a person, situation, or environment. As a verb, to impact means to affect something strongly or to hit it with force.
From Latin "impactus," past participle of "impingere" meaning "to push against," from "in-" (into) and "pangere" (to fasten). The sense of strong influence developed from the physical idea of a hard hit.
We talk about "impact" so much that it can lose meaning—but real impact often shows up in quiet, long-term changes, not dramatic crashes. A small habit shift can impact your life more than a big, one-time event.
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