1
: doing things or tending to do things suddenly and without careful thought : acting or tending to act on impulse
She's impulsive and often does things that she later regrets.
2
: done suddenly and without planning : resulting from a sudden impulse
He needs to learn to control his impulsive behavior.
She made an impulsive decision to quit her job.
Cite this Entry
“Impulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/impulsive. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.
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