Synonym Chooser

How does the noun impulse contrast with its synonyms?

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 what contexts can goad take the place of 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

Where would incentive be a reasonable alternative to impulse?

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

When would inducement be a good substitute for impulse?

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

When can motive be used instead of impulse?

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

When is spur a more appropriate choice than impulse?

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

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 impulse The exhibition doesn’t offer one answer, but rather invites reflection on which emotions, memories, and impulses from girlhood continue to shape us later in life. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025 This impulse to suppress uncomfortable truths about slavery is not new. Time, 24 Sep. 2025 Then, as the Steelers swarmed, Maye gave in to his playmaking impulse again — the same that had just kept the Patriots afloat — and lost the ball trying a hopeless pitch to TreVeyon Henderson. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025 An intimate look at the life of soon-to-be 18-year-old Bruno, whose youthful impulses and longings stand in contradiction to the responsibility of being the sole carer for his ailing 86-year-old grandmother. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impulse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impulse
Noun
  • Washington can stomach Sarr’s undisciplined shot diet because the team, still early in its rebuild, has little incentive to win right now.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Finance is full of bad incentives and outright exploitation.
    Big Think, Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • LaCombe, who played forward in his youth, has shown great improvement in his own end but still has the offensive inclinations to be a point producer.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Redford also shared that despite his inclination to public service, his ambitions were not political.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The impetus for Redeux Style was to teach people how to create beautiful moments in their lives to be more sustainable.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
  • There was enough of an impetus, there was enough energy there.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This is presumably a reference to Perkins' status as a closeted gay man, something Hitchcock likely knew, and not because Perkins had homicidal tendencies.
    JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • They were supervised, or not supervised, or supervised in such a way that their worst tendencies were encouraged instead of discouraged.
    Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The recent sighting provided encouragement to conservationists.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Redd offered encouragement and resources, including money for a hotel room.
    Essence, Essence, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • As such, more will be required than a World Cup ticket, particularly because physical tickets are vulnerable to counterfeiting, while electronic devices, which may ordinarily be a way to show authentic tickets, are usually forbidden in consular buildings where interviews take place.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Nielsen’s streaming ratings cover viewing on TV sets only and don’t include minutes watched on computers or mobile devices.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • To him, animal behavior was largely based on stimulus and response.
    Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The receptors in your hands respond to myriad stimuli-like pressures—vibrations in sync with 15 different families of neurons.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Cootes also has demonstrated some solid aptitude in the faceoff circle.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Her aptitude was unavoidable at the Fendi show, where top models holding desirable handbags, styled with joyful knits, eye-catching dresses and sporty separates, strutted past guests, including actors Hilary Duff, Naomi Watts and Bang Chan of the South Korean boy band Stray Kids.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impulse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impulse. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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