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.

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

A planned splurge can be enjoyed without damaging one’s finances, while an impulsive splurge has little thought behind it.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

Laurent McNamara lived with bipolar disorder - characterised by extreme shifts in mood, and impulsive, sometimes reckless, behaviour.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

By comparing MRI scans with psychopathy assessment results, the researchers found that a larger striatum was linked to a stronger need for stimulation, including thrill-seeking, excitement, and impulsive behavior.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

So she became impulsive, scared by her inaction into perpetual action.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Vocabulary lists containing impulsive

List 1

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The Lightning Thief

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Dracula

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