impulsivity

American  

[im-puhl-siv-i-tee] / ɪmˌpʌlˈsɪv ɪ ti /

Also impulsiveness

noun

1. the quality of being easily swayed by emotional or involuntary urges or by momentary desires, without weighing them rationally.

   Insufficient sleep may increase the potential for risk-taking by compromising decision-making and increasing impulsivity.

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Other Word Forms

• nonimpulsiveness
  noun
• nonimpulsivity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of impulsivity

impulsiv(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

The enlarged striatum finding remains an important clue, especially because of the striatum's role in reward, stimulation, and impulsivity.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

Dementia tends to be thought of mostly as a memory-loss disease, but there are many other aspects, including disorientation, difficulty balancing, poor coordination, trouble multitasking, confusion, wandering, apathy, irritability, impulsivity, poor judgment, and social inappropriateness.

From Slate • Jan. 26, 2026

It rewards impulsivity, narrows one’s temporal horizon, and trains the mind to seek meaning in flashes rather than through accumulation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

If you decide to retire abroad, impulsivity works against you.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025

The impulsivity of the idea had been so attractive to him twenty minutes prior, but now it seemed silly.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro