impulse

[ im-puhls ]

/ ˈɪm pʌls /

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See synonyms for: impulse / impulses on Thesaurus.com

noun

the influence of a particular feeling, mental state, etc.: to act under a generous impulse; to strike out at someone from an angry impulse.

sudden, involuntary inclination prompting to action: to be swayed by impulse.

an instance of this.

a psychic drive or instinctual urge.

an impelling action or force, driving onward or inducing motion.

the effect of an impelling force; motion induced; impetus given.

Physiology. a progressive wave of excitation over a nerve or muscle fiber, having either a stimulating or inhibitory effect.

Mechanics. the product of the average force acting upon a body and the time during which it acts, equivalent to the change in the momentum of the body produced by such a force.

Electricity. a single, usually sudden, flow of current in one direction.

adjective

marked by or acting on impulse: an impulse buyer.

bought or acquired on impulse: To reduce expenses, shun impulse items when shopping.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of impulse

1640–50; <Latin impulsus pressure, impulse, equivalent to im-im-¹ + pul- (variant stem of pellere to push) + -sus, variant of -tus suffix of v. action

Words nearby impulse

impudence, impudent, impudicity, impugn, impuissant, impulse, impulse buying, impulse turbine, impulsion, impulsive, impulsiveness

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use impulse in a sentence

Not long after, renowned American philosopher William James wrote in his essay “The Moral Equivalent of War” that Americans should redirect their combative impulses away from their fellow humans and onto “Nature.”
They Know How to Prevent Megafires. Why Won’t Anybody Listen?|by Elizabeth Weil|August 28, 2020|ProPublica
The impulse to help is wonderful—so make sure you put it to good use.
Hurricane Laura is the strongest storm to hit Louisiana in more than a century|Sara Chodosh|August 28, 2020|Popular-Science
Sometimes that means putting a lid on harmful impulses and urges that arise from the limbic area.
Explainer: What is puberty?|Esther Landhuis|August 27, 2020|Science News For Students
On each site, people moved by the very human impulse to care about vulnerable children began repeating what they saw to their friends and followers.
Evangelicals are looking for answers online. They’re finding QAnon instead.|Abby Ohlheiser|August 26, 2020|MIT Technology Review

If we hope to live in a society that is better than its worst impulses, we must use this awful moment to drive and accelerate positive change.
Standing together|Tate Ryan-Mosley|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In “Not What It Used To Be,” you write about talking to your younger self, which is an impulse I think many of us will understand.
Meghan Daum On Tackling The Unspeakable Parts Of Life|David Yaffe|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And I was wondering how you combat that impulse to reject the young?
Martin Amis Talks About Nazis, Novels, and Cute Babies|Ronald K. Fried|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The question is not whether they are right or wrong but why they feel an impulse to dispense their advice in the first place.
America’s Meddlers Are Our Worst Enemies|Stefan Beck|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As to whether the MRAP was an impulse buy, Ms. Kroemer assured me it was not.
Why Does My Kids’ Elementary School Need a Tank?|Andy Hinds|September 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To reproduce the impulse born of the thought—this is the aim of a psychological method.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
Genoa has but recently and partially felt the new impulse, yet even here the march of improvement is visible.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
It is the dramatic impulse of childhood endeavouring to bring life into the dulness of the serious hours.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Those in whom the impulse is strong and dominant are perhaps those who in later years make the good society actors.
Children's Ways|James Sully
This impulse to extend rule appears more plainly in many of the little ceremonial observances of the child.
Children's Ways|James Sully

British Dictionary definitions for impulse

impulse

/ (ˈɪmpʌls) /

noun

an impelling force or motion; thrust; impetus

a sudden desire, whim, or inclinationI bought it on an impulse

an instinctive drive; urge

tendency; current; trend

physics

the product of the average magnitude of a force acting on a body and the time for which it acts
the change in the momentum of a body as a result of a force acting upon it for a short period of time

physiol See nerve impulse

electronics a less common word for pulse 1 (def. 2)

on impulse spontaneously or impulsively

Word Origin for impulse

C17: from Latin impulsus a pushing against, incitement, from impellere to strike against; see impel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for impulse

impulse

[ ĭm′pŭls′ ]

A sudden flow of electrical current in one direction.

An electrical signal traveling along the axon of a neuron. Nerve impulses excite or inhibit activity in other neurons or in the tissues of the body, such as muscles and glands.

The change of momentum of a body or physical system over a time interval in classical mechanics, equal to the force applied times the length of the time interval over which it is applied.

impulse

Origin of impulse

Words nearby impulse

Words related to impulse

How to use impulse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for impulse

Word Origin for impulse

Scientific definitions for impulse