# impulse

/ˈɪmpəɫs/ (US) · /ˈɪmpʌls/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impulse
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. sudden urge

noun · CEFR B2

a sudden, strong feeling that you must do something without thinking about it first.

For teachers: a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action.

- He had a sudden impulse to quit his job and travel the world.
- She struggled to control the impulse to interrupt the speaker, knowing that a premature outburst would undermine her professional standing.

### 2. physical force

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a sudden push or force that starts something moving.

For teachers: the act of impelling or the state of being impelled; a sudden force that communicates motion.

- The impulse of the wind pushed the small boat away from the dock.
- The initial impulse provided by the explosion was sufficient to propel the debris across the entire testing facility.

### 3. change in momentum

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the effect of a force acting on an object for a short time.

For teachers: the integral of a force over the time interval during which it acts, resulting in a change in momentum.

- The golfer tried to increase the impulse on the ball by following through with the swing.
- In classical mechanics, impulse is defined as the product of the average force and the time interval over which it is applied.

Usage: Usually functions as an uncountable noun in a physics context.

### 4. electrical signal

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a short burst of energy that travels through a wire or a nerve.

For teachers: a pulse of electrical energy or a nerve discharge that transmits information or triggers an action.

- Nerve impulses carry messages from your brain to your muscles.
- The sensor detects minute electrical impulses generated by the heart, allowing the machine to map the patient's cardiac rhythm.

### 5. to drive forward

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

to push or encourage someone to take action.

For teachers: to provide an incentive or a physical push; to impel.

- The desire for fame may impulse a person to take great risks.
- The monarch sought to impulse his subjects toward a more industrious lifestyle through a series of rigorous new decrees.

Usage: Transitive verb; requires a direct object.

## Examples

- I had a sudden impulse to laugh during the quiet meeting.
- She bought the expensive shoes on impulse, completely ignoring the strict budget she had set for the month.
- The protagonist struggles constantly against his darker impulses, knowing that a single moment of unthinking anger could unravel years of careful diplomacy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.