impulsive
Americanadjective
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characterized by actions based on sudden desires, whims, or inclinations rather than careful thought
an impulsive man
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based on emotional impulses or whims; spontaneous
an impulsive kiss
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forceful, inciting, or impelling
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(of physical forces) acting for a short time; not continuous
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(of a sound) brief, loud, and having a wide frequency range
Synonym Usage
See impetuous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of impulsive
First recorded in 1375–1425 for an earlier sense; 1545–55 for current senses; late Middle English impulsif, from Medieval Latin impulsīvus; see origin at impulse, -ive
Explanation
If someone is impulsive, it means that they act on instinct, without thinking decisions through. If you worked for an entire year to save money for a car and then suddenly decided to spend it all on a diamond tiara instead, that would be an impulsive purchase. Impulses are short, quick feelings, and if someone is in the habit of acting on them, they're impulsive. When stores stock chocolate at the checkout line, they are hoping you will impulsively decide to buy it. When you call the person you have a crush on after promising yourself all day to maintain an air of dignified reserve, that's impulsive behavior. We might also call impulsive behavior whimsical or capricious.
Vocabulary lists containing impulsive
List 1
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The Lightning Thief
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Dracula
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Morgan, whose inspiration seems clear enough—Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy—is terrific as the half-crazy, wildly impulsive Mickey, whose abduction by the Italians occupies much of the early going.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
“I sometimes would cite Greenspan as being a little quicker to move and a little more impulsive and maybe more willing to take a surprise move,” Bullard said.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
The tired brain is prone to risk-taking, being impulsive, mood swings, anxiety and lacks empathy.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
Sybiga said on Friday he planned to return an award he received from Poland in 2022 after the "unjustified, impulsive and disrespectful" decision.
From Barron's • Jun. 20, 2026
It was a daring, impulsive move on which the chaplain decided after quarreling with Corporal Whitcomb again and washing down with tepid canteen water his joyless lunch of a Milky Way and Baby Ruth.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
