impulsive meaning and definition

IMPULSIVE adjective

Definition of impulsive (adjective)

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