Synonym Chooser

How is the word impulsive distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of impulsive are automatic, instinctive, mechanical, and spontaneous. While all these words mean "acting or activated without deliberation," impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment.

impulsive acts of violence

In what contexts can automatic take the place of impulsive?

The words automatic and impulsive can be used in similar contexts, but automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

When is instinctive a more appropriate choice than impulsive?

In some situations, the words instinctive and impulsive are roughly equivalent. However, instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

When can mechanical be used instead of impulsive?

Although the words mechanical and impulsive have much in common, mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

When might spontaneous be a better fit than impulsive?

While in some cases nearly identical to impulsive, spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness.

a spontaneous burst of applause

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impulsive In Aries, Venus is as fiery, audacious and impulsive as this Fire sign’s planetary ruler, Mars. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 2 May 2025 The reason the normally impulsive Trump has been so tentative and back-and-forth with tariffs, which his administration has been all over the place on for months, is that even his own true believers know that this is an economic landmine. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025 Research shows that suicide tends to be a fairly impulsive act during short-term crises. Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 Research shows that those who score higher in emotional intelligence are less impulsive and better able to persist through difficult tasks. Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impulsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impulsive
Adjective
  • But the obsessive, granular restaurant news era arguably starts when Grub Street debuts in 2006 and its editor, Josh Ozersky, aims to post news every hour.
    New York Times, New York Times, 7 May 2025
  • Brian by Jeremy Cooper Brian is a thirtysomething council worker in London who has always led a solitary life, one marked by an obsessive adherence to routine.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • Some of the problems are caused by a volatile economic landscape.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • Trump’s supporters are grasping for justifications for a volatile stock market and looming price increases.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • The result is compulsive checking, like a gambler at a slot machine.
    Adaira Landry, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • Miku Martineau stars in the series as Yumeko, a transfer student to an elite global boarding school and a compulsive gambling addict with a mysterious past.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This eccentric novel—by turns a workplace comedy, a philosophical inquisition, and a smorgasbord of bodily horror—is given life by Larraquy’s electric prose and by the merciless passions of his characters.
    The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 15 May 2025
  • Meanwhile over at Rolling Stone, David Fear praises the film for staying true to the series’ gentle, eccentric tone that never fails to be filled with empathy.
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Pockets of time when most parents are homebound are now ripe for spontaneous hangouts, especially because their kids can entertain one another.
    Rhaina Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2025
  • But most mutations are acquired — from lifestyle, environmental exposures, or spontaneous errors during cell division.
    Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
Adjective
  • Moore House Design Moore House Design created a moody atmosphere in the main bedroom of a Portsmouth, Rhode Island, home by painting the walls in Sherwin-Williams’ Enduring Bronze.
    Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The exterior of the building is painted a moody shade of teal and has a slanted roof which helps redirect rainwater to the base of the oak tree.
    Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The lawsuit argues the cuts are ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and unconstitutional.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
  • Its leaders see an opportunity to better position China as a less capricious partner to the Middle East, the global South, and even Europe.
    Chang Che, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But their colorful, whimsical looks have won them admirers the world over.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 3 May 2025
  • That’s a bit of a nostalgic and whimsical reference, but indeed there are some elements that ring true.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impulsive. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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