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impulsive - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'impulsive' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Impulsive [ a.]
- Having the power of driving or impelling; giving an impulse; moving; impellent.
- Actuated by impulse or by transient feelings.
- Acting momentarily, or by impulse; not continuous; -- said of forces.
2 . Impulsive [ n.]
- That which impels or gives an impulse; an impelling agent.

Meaning of 'impulsive' (Princeton's WordNet)

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

Nearby Words:

imp imp-pole impacable impackment impact impacted impacting impaction impaint impair

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