impulsive

[im-puhl-siv]

See more synonyms for impulsive on Thesaurus.com

adjective

actuated or swayed by emotional or involuntary impulses: an impulsive child.
having the power or effect of impelling; characterized by impulsion: impulsive forces.
inciting to action: the impulsive effects of a revolutionary idea.

Mechanics. (of forces) acting momentarily; not continuous.

Origin of impulsive

1375–1425 for an earlier sense; 1545–55 for current senses; late Middle English impulsif < Medieval Latin impulsīvus. See impulse, -ive

Related formsim·pul·sive·ly, adverbim·pul·sive·ness, im·pul·siv·i·ty, nounnon·im·pul·sive, adjectivenon·im·pul·sive·ly, adverbnon·im·pul·sive·ness, nounun·im·pul·sive, adjectiveun·im·pul·sive·ly, adverb

Can be confusedcompulsive impulsive impetuous (see synonym study at impetuous)

Synonyms for impulsive

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1. rash, quick, hasty. See impetuous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for impulsively

carelessly, impetuously, hastily, rashly

Examples from the Web for impulsively

Contemporary Examples of impulsively

At the end of the eighth season, Marshall is offered judgeship and impulsively accepts before talking to Lily.
Everything You Need to Know About 'How I Met Your Mother'
Chancellor Agard
March 31, 2014
Cons: Remembering what happened last time you impulsively embarked on a new fitness venture.
So You Are Enduring a Temporarily Paralyzing Winter Storm
Kelly Williams Brown
February 15, 2014
Lane then impulsively kisses Joan in her office, a move that she gracefully dismisses without further wounding his pride.
‘Mad Men’ Returns: A Recap of Season Five
Jace Lacob
April 5, 2013
The perpetrators were impulsively violent and willing to kill.
Pundits Pin Blame for Murderer Jovan Belcher on Everything But Him
Buzz Bissinger
December 5, 2012
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was attacked for impulsively committing his military to support the uprising.
Libya War’s Unsung Heroes
Clive Irving
August 22, 2011

Historical Examples of impulsively

She had left it impulsively, she admitted, scarce knowing what she did.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Impulsively I sprang up to allow them to come to the front places.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark
Her answer was to impulsively take a letter from her pocket and hand it to me.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
Impulsively Josie moved to Roland's side and caught his arm.
The Fortune Hunter
Louis Joseph Vance
"That's just the sort of a place I'd like," said Duncan impulsively.
The Fortune Hunter
Louis Joseph Vance

British Dictionary definitions for impulsively

impulsive

adjective

characterized by actions based on sudden desires, whims, or inclinations rather than careful thoughtan impulsive man
based on emotional impulses or whims; spontaneousan impulsive kiss
forceful, inciting, or impelling
(of physical forces) acting for a short time; not continuous
(of a sound) brief, loud, and having a wide frequency range

Derived Formsimpulsively, adverbimpulsiveness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for impulsively

adv.

1768; see impulsive + -ly (2).

impulsive

adj.

early 15c., originally in reference to medicine that reduces swelling or humors, from Middle French impulsif or directly from Medieval Latin impulsivus, from Latin impuls-, past participle stem of impellere (see impel). Of persons, "rash, characterized by impulses," from 1847.

impulsively in Medicine

impulsive

[ĭm-pŭl′sĭv]

adj.

Inclined or tending to act on impulse rather than thought.
Motivated by or resulting from impulse.

Related formsim•pul′sive•ness null n.