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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.

Scientists found that consuming caffeine at night can increase impulsive behavior, raising the likelihood of risky or uncontrolled actions.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

It was such a baffling overture that Xi suspected it was an impulsive gesture, said people close to Beijing’s decision-making.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

“When prices are down, conversations tend to be more rational and sizing decisions more disciplined” as opposed to impulsive, FOMO-crazed performance chasing.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

Symptoms can vary widely, with some individuals primarily experiencing inattentiveness, while others show more hyperactive or impulsive behavior, or a combination of both.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

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

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.