Definitions

impulsive

[im-puhl-siv] / ɪmˈpʌl sɪv /

ADJECTIVE

tending to act without thought

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abrupt hasty impetuous instinctive offhand passionate spontaneous violent

WEAK

ad-lib automatic careless devil-may-care emotional extemporaneous flaky gone off deep end headlong hot-and-cold intuitive involuntary jumping the gun mad precipitate quick rash sudden swift unconsidered unexpected unmeditated unpredictable unpremeditated unprompted up-and-down winging it

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm deliberate planned sensible

WEAK

cautious considering heedful premeditative thoughtful wise

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.

Sally contacted the BBC after one of her daughters sent her a link to BBC podcast series Impulsive, released in February 2026, and told her: "We think this is you."

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Its legions of die-hard fans include Cody Esser, who visited 33 Texas stores in three days for his Impulsive Traveler Guy blog.

From Washington Post • Aug. 14, 2019

Impulsive, entrancing Gus whisks her and her mom off to Amsterdam to meet her hero, and it is a journey that is to bring their relationship to a crisis.

From The Guardian • Jun. 19, 2014

A version of this review appears in print on March 21, 2014, on page C4 of the with the headline: Still Doleful, Still Impulsive.

From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2014

Impulsive, he is what some might call unprincipled.

From The Confidence-Man by Melville, Herman

Vocabulary lists containing impulsive

List 1

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The Lightning Thief

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Dracula

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