Impulsive

//ɪmˈpʌlsɪv// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    That which impels or gives an impulse; an impelling agent.

    "Notwithstanding all which Motives and impulsives , Sir Thomas Overbury refused to be sent abroad , with such terms"

  2. 2
    One whose behaviour or personality is characterized by being impulsive.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent.

    "Poor men! poor papers! We and they / Do some impulsive force obey."

  2. 2
    Actuated by impulse or by transient feelings; inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration.

    "my heart, impulsive and wayward"

  3. 3
    Acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous – said of forces.
Adjective
  1. 1
    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation wordnet
  2. 2
    determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason wordnet
  3. 3
    having the power of driving or impelling wordnet
  4. 4
    without forethought wordnet
  5. 5
    proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
capriciousunpremeditatedunprompteda bit previousabruptactuating

Example

More examples

"Tom is a little impulsive, isn't he?"

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impulsif, from Latin impulsivus.

Related phrases

impulsive speech

More for "impulsive"

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