Impulsive Definition & Meaning

impulsive
adjective
  1. proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus; "an impulsive gesture of affection"
  2. without forethought; "letting him borrow her car was an impulsive act that she immediately regretted"
  3. having the power of driving or impelling; "a driving personal ambition"; "the driving force was his innate enthusiasm"; "an impulsive force"
  4. determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; "a capricious refusal"; "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious"; "the victim of whimsical persecutions"
  5. characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; "a hotheaded decision"; "liable to such impulsive acts as hugging strangers"; "an impetuous display of spending and gambling"; "madcap escapades"; (`brainish' is archaic)

Synonyms for impulsive

arbitrary adj

based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice; "an arbitrary decision

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capricious adj

changeable; "a capricious summer breeze

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driving adj

having the power of driving or impelling; "a driving personal ambition"; "the driving force was his innate enthusiasm

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dynamic adj

characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality; "a dynamic market"; "a dynamic speaker

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dynamical adj

characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality; "a dynamic market"; "a dynamic speaker

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hotheaded adj

quickly aroused to anger; "a hotheaded commander" characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation

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impetuous adj

characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; "a hotheaded decision

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incautious adj

lacking in caution; "an incautious remark"; "incautious talk" carelessly failing to exercise proper caution

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madcap adj

characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; "a hotheaded decision

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spontaneous adj

happening or arising without apparent external cause; "spontaneous laughter"; "spontaneous combustion

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"Impulsive" in song lyrics

See how impulsive is used in real songs:

  • "Compulsive. I am afraid so I will buy impulsive"
    Project Deadman — Corporate Lies
  • "Spontaneous flow that's very impulsive"
    StreetLife — Shattered Armor

Words that rhyme with impulsive

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Usage tips for "impulsive"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "impulsive" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for impulsive to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with impulsive ↔ Synonyms for impulsive 🔬 Words containing impulsive

Frequently asked questions

What does impulsive mean?
proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus; "an impulsive gesture of affection" without forethought; "letting him borrow her car was an impulsive act that she immediately regretted" having the power of driving or impelling; "a driving personal ambition"; "the driving force was his innate enthusiasm"; "an impulsive force" determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; "a capricious refusal"; "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious
What part of speech is impulsive?
Impulsive is an adjective.
How many definitions does impulsive have?
Impulsive has 5 definitions across 1 part of speech (adjective).

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