Impetuous

//imˈpɛt͡ʃuəs// adj

adj ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Making arbitrary decisions, especially in an impulsive and forceful manner.

    "But it was natural, that the impetuous, restless young artist should incline more to excess of strength than of delicacy in his playing."

  2. 2
    Characterized by sudden violence or vehemence.

    "For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye."

Adjective
  1. 1
    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation wordnet
  2. 2
    marked by violent force wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
forcefulhastyhotheadedimpulsiverashabandoned

Example

More examples

"Your impetuous remarks about us seem to have rung down the curtain on our good relationship."

Etymology

From Middle English impetuous, from Old French impetueux, from Late Latin impetuōsus (“violent”), from Latin impetus (“attack, violence”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.