impulse

1 of 2

noun

im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls How to pronounce impulse (audio)

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

: a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational

: a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition see nerve impulse

: the act of driving onward with sudden force : impulsion

: motion produced by such an impulsion : impetus

: pulse sense 4a

: the product of the average value of a force and the time during which it acts : the change in momentum produced by the force

: inspiration, motivation

: a force so communicated as to produce motion suddenly

: incentive

impulse

2 of 2

verb

im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls How to pronounce impulse (audio)

im-ˈpəls

impulsed; impulsing

transitive verb

: to give an impulse to

Example Sentences

Noun He has to learn to control his impulses. the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy needed

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But the revelation of atrocities in the liberated villages muffled any celebratory impulse in the bunker.

Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2022 Replacing the impulse to scroll with something else is a small but vital first step, as is checking your instincts about popular opinion with your less online friends.

WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 That impulse has lessened, but hasn’t ceased: A group of US military advisers recently warned in a report on the aerospace industrial base (pdf) that China could outpace the US in a matter of decades.

Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 2 Sep. 2022 The weight of history — including artists’ personal histories, California’s history and the impulse to revisit, reimagine and revise history — was one of them.

Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 However, Didymos will still be approximately 11 million kilometers (about 6.8 million miles) from Earth and the impulse of energy that DART delivers to Dimorphos is low.

Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 Aug. 2022 The entire street and adjacent streets have felt the impulse given by the award of that contact, so that the vicinity of the theater has been entirely changed within the last eighteen months.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2022 Photos of Buechner at his farm, staring dreamily into the distance with a pipe in his mouth, reinforce this impulse by suggesting a bygone era.

John Blake, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 But this impulse is wrongheaded, not because animals lack amazing abilities but because evolution doesn’t produce a hierarchy in which some species are more advanced, or rank higher, than others.

Marlene Zuk, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2022

Verb

With a wide variety of sizes, there's something for just about everyone, from the heads of large households to impulse shoppers at gas stations to parents packing kids' school lunches every morning.

Danielle Wiener-bronner, CNN, 14 July 2022 Across six movies and massive advances in visual effects technology, Hollywood has been wrestling with a version of that same craven because-they-can impulse.

Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 June 2022 According to Gyllander, her audience doesn’t want to impulse-buy products algorithmically served to them between wedding photos.

Leah Prinzivalli, Outside Online, 22 Apr. 2020 Cutler, who frequently posts on the group, says that a lot of posts are from people who have recently impulse-purchased chickens, not knowing what to do with them, and that a lot of the birds being put up for sale are clearly sick.

Dallas News, 22 Apr. 2020 Women displayed way more brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region that deals with decision making, focus and impulse control.

Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2017 See More

Medical Definition

impulse

noun

im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls How to pronounce impulse (audio)

: a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition

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

some uncontrollable impulse … may have driven the defendant to the commission of the murderous act

B. N. Cardozo

: a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational

the fundamental impulse of self-expression

Havelock Ellis

impulse

noun

as in impetus

something that arouses action or activity the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

impetus
incentive
stimulus
motivation
encouragement
momentum
provocation
spur
reason
stimulant
instigation
incitement
goad
catalyst
fuel
incitation
boost
yeast
motive
inducement
cause
invitation
consideration
shot in the arm
antecedent
spark
occasion
grounds
catalyzer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disincentive
counterincentive

as in inclination

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing the universal, fundamental impulse of self-preservation

Synonyms & Similar Words

inclination
tendency
devices
aptitude
affinity
affection
predisposition
disposition
predilection
propensity
proclivity
bias
knack
leaning
addiction
bent
penchant
appetite
genius
gift
preference
habitude
talent
turn
partiality
bone
prejudice
flair
like
partisanship
habit
endowment
taste
liking
fondness
one-sidedness
idiosyncrasy
pattern
favor
eccentricity
faculty
practice
singularity
fancy
convention
peculiarity
way
quirk
specialty
custom
speciality
routine
forte
oddity
trick
kink
wont
practise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

aversion
distaste
disinclination
dislike
allergy
indifference
detachment
neutrality
objectivity
averseness
disrelish
apathy
disfavor
impartiality
disliking
nonchalance
unconcern
disinterestedness
insouciance

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of impulse are goad, incentive, inducement, motive, and spur. While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

In some situations, the words goad and impulse are roughly equivalent. However, goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

The words incentive and impulse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

The words inducement and impulse can be used in similar contexts, but inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

The meanings of motive and impulse largely overlap; however, motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

Although the words spur and impulse have much in common, spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

单词	impulse
释义	impulse 1 of 2 noun im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls 1 a : a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action b : a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational 2 a : a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition see nerve impulse b : the act of driving onward with sudden force : impulsion c : motion produced by such an impulsion : impetus 3 a : pulse sense 4a b : the product of the average value of a force and the time during which it acts : the change in momentum produced by the force 4 a : inspiration, motivation b : a force so communicated as to produce motion suddenly c : incentive impulse 2 of 2 verb im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls im-ˈpəls impulsed; impulsing transitive verb : to give an impulse to Synonyms Noun boost encouragement goad impetus incentive incitation incitement instigation momentum motivation provocation spur stimulant stimulus yeast See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun He has to learn to control his impulses. the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy needed Recent Examples on the Web Noun But the revelation of atrocities in the liberated villages muffled any celebratory impulse in the bunker. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2022 Replacing the impulse to scroll with something else is a small but vital first step, as is checking your instincts about popular opinion with your less online friends. WIRED, 8 Sep. 2022 That impulse has lessened, but hasn’t ceased: A group of US military advisers recently warned in a report on the aerospace industrial base (pdf) that China could outpace the US in a matter of decades. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 2 Sep. 2022 The weight of history — including artists’ personal histories, California’s history and the impulse to revisit, reimagine and revise history — was one of them. Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 However, Didymos will still be approximately 11 million kilometers (about 6.8 million miles) from Earth and the impulse of energy that DART delivers to Dimorphos is low. Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 Aug. 2022 The entire street and adjacent streets have felt the impulse given by the award of that contact, so that the vicinity of the theater has been entirely changed within the last eighteen months. San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2022 Photos of Buechner at his farm, staring dreamily into the distance with a pipe in his mouth, reinforce this impulse by suggesting a bygone era. John Blake, CNN, 21 Aug. 2022 But this impulse is wrongheaded, not because animals lack amazing abilities but because evolution doesn’t produce a hierarchy in which some species are more advanced, or rank higher, than others. Marlene Zuk, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Aug. 2022 Verb With a wide variety of sizes, there's something for just about everyone, from the heads of large households to impulse shoppers at gas stations to parents packing kids' school lunches every morning. Danielle Wiener-bronner, CNN, 14 July 2022 Across six movies and massive advances in visual effects technology, Hollywood has been wrestling with a version of that same craven because-they-can impulse. Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 June 2022 According to Gyllander, her audience doesn’t want to impulse-buy products algorithmically served to them between wedding photos. Leah Prinzivalli, Outside Online, 22 Apr. 2020 Cutler, who frequently posts on the group, says that a lot of posts are from people who have recently impulse-purchased chickens, not knowing what to do with them, and that a lot of the birds being put up for sale are clearly sick. Dallas News, 22 Apr. 2020 Women displayed way more brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region that deals with decision making, focus and impulse control. Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2017 See More Word History Etymology Noun Latin impulsus, from impellere to impel First Known Use Noun 1647, in the meaning defined at sense 4a Verb 1611, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing impulse nerve impulse specific impulse nerve impulse specific impulse Kids Definition impulse noun im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls 1 : a force that starts a body into motion 2 : the motion produced by a starting force 3 : a strong sudden desire to do something She resisted the impulse to shout. 4 : nerve impulse Medical Definition impulse noun im·pulse ˈim-ˌpəls 1 : a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition 2 a : a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action some uncontrollable impulse … may have driven the defendant to the commission of the murderous act B. N. Cardozo b : a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational the fundamental impulse of self-expression Havelock Ellis impulse noun 1 as in impetus something that arouses action or activity the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy needed Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance impetus incentive stimulus motivation encouragement momentum provocation spur reason stimulant instigation incitement goad catalyst fuel incitation boost yeast motive inducement cause invitation consideration shot in the arm antecedent spark occasion grounds catalyzer Antonyms & Near Antonyms disincentive counterincentive 2 as in inclination a habitual attraction to some activity or thing the universal, fundamental impulse of self-preservation Synonyms & Similar Words inclination tendency devices aptitude affinity affection predisposition disposition predilection propensity proclivity bias knack leaning addiction bent penchant appetite genius gift preference habitude talent turn partiality bone prejudice flair like partisanship habit endowment taste liking fondness one-sidedness idiosyncrasy pattern favor eccentricity faculty practice singularity fancy convention peculiarity way quirk specialty custom speciality routine forte oddity trick kink wont practise Antonyms & Near Antonyms aversion distaste disinclination dislike allergy indifference detachment neutrality objectivity averseness disrelish apathy disfavor impartiality disliking nonchalance unconcern disinterestedness insouciance See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of impulse are goad, incentive, inducement, motive, and spur. While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution. buying on impulse In some situations, the words goad and impulse are roughly equivalent. However, goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire. thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency The words incentive and impulse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action. a bonus was offered as an incentive The words inducement and impulse can be used in similar contexts, but inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another. offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe The meanings of motive and impulse largely overlap; however, motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act. a motive for the crime Although the words spur and impulse have much in common, spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor. fear was a spur to action
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impulse

noun

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing impulse

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun

noun

Synonym Chooser