# impulsive

/ˌɪmˈpəɫsɪv/ (US) · /ɪmpˈʌlsɪv/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impulsive
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

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

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

## Examples

- He made an impulsive decision to buy the expensive car.
- She regretted her impulsive comment as soon as she saw the hurt look on her friend's face.
- While some admire his spontaneous nature, others find his impulsive habit of quitting jobs without a backup plan to be deeply irresponsible.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He acted in an impulsive way" but "He 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'.

## Usage notes

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

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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.