1
as in capriciousness
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as in impulsiveness
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Recent Examples of impetuosity
What few at the time foresaw was that the region could be delivered to China through Trump’s sheer impetuosity, or his inability to think before posting.
—
Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
Two centuries later, the Greek historian Polybius contrasted Roman discipline, order, and rationality with Celtic impetuosity, chaos, and passion on the battlefield.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
His sacred vows didn’t stop Kelly from displaying the impetuosity that brands this city’s fans.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 14 Apr. 2018
Regardless of whether fate led these men to board the train, Eastwood suggests that what drove them to act when faced with a crisis was their youthful impetuosity.
—Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader, 9 Feb. 2018
Meeting his current expedition partner, Børge Ousland, required another stroke of youthful impetuosity.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2017
Not to give too much away, but Alice’s romantic impetuosity in her youth has fateful consequences that only a show as sentimentally over the top as this could happily resolve.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 23 Oct. 2017
This president combines qualities of Shakespeare’s worst kings: the vanity of Lear, the impetuosity of Richard II, the maliciousness of Richard III.
—Paula Marantz Cohen, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2017
But, then again, that’s the sort of recipe favored by Donald Trump, a president who acts with impetuosity and has little time for strategy.
—Matt Giles, Longreads, 31 July 2017
Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
Two centuries later, the Greek historian Polybius contrasted Roman discipline, order, and rationality with Celtic impetuosity, chaos, and passion on the battlefield.
—Michele Gelfand, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
His sacred vows didn’t stop Kelly from displaying the impetuosity that brands this city’s fans.
—Frank Fitzpatrick, Philly.com, 14 Apr. 2018
Regardless of whether fate led these men to board the train, Eastwood suggests that what drove them to act when faced with a crisis was their youthful impetuosity.
—Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader, 9 Feb. 2018
Meeting his current expedition partner, Børge Ousland, required another stroke of youthful impetuosity.
—Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, 8 Nov. 2017
Not to give too much away, but Alice’s romantic impetuosity in her youth has fateful consequences that only a show as sentimentally over the top as this could happily resolve.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 23 Oct. 2017
This president combines qualities of Shakespeare’s worst kings: the vanity of Lear, the impetuosity of Richard II, the maliciousness of Richard III.
—Paula Marantz Cohen, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2017
But, then again, that’s the sort of recipe favored by Donald Trump, a president who acts with impetuosity and has little time for strategy.
—Matt Giles, Longreads, 31 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impetuosity
Noun
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The capriciousness of fate was not lost on Karstens and many of the survivors.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
23 Dec. 2025
-
The president’s bombast and capriciousness have led many European countries to increase their defense spending—a positive outcome, to be sure, and not inherently at odds with the notion of a unified, geopolitical West.—
Stewart Patrick,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Paranoia’s impulsiveness, fixation, and self consciousness are mirrored in romance as a desire to be perceived in a particular way by a specific audience, a curiosity to uncover something deeper and more vital, and the desire to disappear into a world safe from outside perceptions.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Lofland says that while Cooper’s decisions might frustrate the audience, his impulsiveness is an important part of what makes the character tick.—
William Earl,
Variety,
14 Dec. 2025
Noun
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And yet, Washington responded to Genet not with rashness and bravado but with restraint made public law.—
Maurizio Valsania,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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His audacity and her rashness might surprise some.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Order the waterzooi — the house specialty seafood stew — the duck confit, the crepe caprice, or the escargot petit gris served in a Roquefort cream sauce.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Every day, by caprice, the lives of ordinary, law-abiding people—our neighbors—are being destroyed.—
Erin Neil,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That’s not so much honesty as impulsivity, no?—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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Additionally, teen brains are still developing, particularly in the areas related to impulsivity and decision-making, says Erin Palmwood, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist, neuroscience researcher, and college professor with Soleil Psychology.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But this doesn’t explain the rapidity of the shift nor the fact that all the leading American AI research labs moved in the same direction.—
Nick Srnicek,
Wired News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Still others warned of the rapidity with which democracy could give way to dictatorship.—
Talya Zax,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Strawberry beige Like a glass of Veuve Clicquot garnished with berries, this strawberry-beige color straddles the line between upscale polish and whimsy.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
14 Feb. 2026
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In honor of Valentine’s Day, Stephanie also has a story on the whimsies created by chocolate artist Chris Ford at his West Hollywood pop-up shop.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But this is not a story about two best friends who break up because of the vagaries of popularity, and Coleman’s Callie is not a villain who breaks Minnie’s delicate heart.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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The vagaries of that schedule will require flexibility and depth and will likely force Dos Santos to rotate players in and out of the lineup.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impetuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impetuosity. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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