<p>Waterjet-driven single-particle impact is a fundamental mechanism governing material removal in abrasive waterjet machining (AWJM). To thoroughly investigate the complex fluid–solid interactions underlying this mechanism, a reliable framework that can precisely capture the physical behavior of the waterjet, abrasive particles, and workpiece erosion is essential. Therefore, a coupled numerical model based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and finite element method (FEM) is proposed to provide a physically consistent representation of all relevant impact phenomena. The model incorporated waterjet pressure, impact angle, abrasive mesh size, and particle radial position as the key process parameters. The results of waterjet-driven particle impact demonstrate that induced impact phenomena, particularly the stagnation zone, critically alter particle impact velocity, trajectory, kinetic energy damping across the jet radius. Moreover, the stagnation zone facilitates abrasive particle embedment by acting as a hydrodynamic confinement region that restricts particle escape. Such influences become even more pronounced with larger eroded craters or cavities. This is attributed to the expansion of stagnation region which amplifies hydrodynamic dissipation, deviates particle trajectory, and increases the probability of particle embedment. Notably, the developed SPH-FEM model successfully captured critical physical phenomena during impact that remain beyond the reach of the traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. Overall, the revealed phenomena provide in-depth insight into impact behavior and offer clear guidance for devising a mechanistic framework to enhance material removal efficiency.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>