English Reference
Adjective

impulsive

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɪmˈpəɫsɪv/ UK /ɪmpˈʌlsɪv/ im·pul·sive

adj.doing things suddenly without thinking about what might happen next. You use this to describe someone who acts on their feelings right away.

adj.acting or done without forethought or consideration of the consequences. Often used to describe personality traits or specific spontaneous actions.


SIMPLE

He made an impulsive decision to buy the expensive car.

CONTEXTUAL

She regretted her impulsive comment as soon as she saw the hurt look on her friend's face.

COMPLEX

While some admire his spontaneous nature, others find his impulsive habit of quitting jobs without a backup plan to be deeply irresponsible.

Usage

Often follows linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.

Pitfall
He acted in an impulsive wayHe acted impulsively

While 'in an impulsive way' is grammatically correct, learners often over-rely on this phrase instead of using the more natural adverb form 'impulsively'.

Adding fuel to Canadians’ financial fire is the growing economic trend of “doom-spending” — impulsive, stress-driven purchases of non-essentials by those left feeling hopeless about their financial futures.

Toronto Sun· 2 Sept 2026

Estiarte continues: “I said to the team: ‘Please, you have to understand, you’re not playing with a coach who can be a bit impulsive, intense, sometimes a bit up and down.

The Guardian· 18 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Middle French impulsif, from Latin impulsivus.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin impulsivus
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated