as in capriciousness
an inclination to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions
his irrepressible impulsiveness sometimes got him into trouble
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Recent Examples of impulsiveness
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
The novel Elphie follows the witch from infancy, shaped by her mother Melena’s impulsiveness and her father Frex’s stern piety, and navigating the jealousies that arise with the arrivals of her siblings, Nessarose and Shell.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
But will his personal interests and impulsiveness keep him from his goal?
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Some viewers find her impulsiveness more irritating than endearing.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Farrell’s Sonny Crockett is a brooding, messy, temperamental cop whose impulsiveness and (ahem) intensity is balanced by his mopey vulnerability.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
The synergy between Scorpio’s intensity and Aries’ impulsiveness can spark drama, but also breakthroughs, specifically in relationships or collaborations where unspoken truths have been building.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
William Earl, Variety, 14 Dec. 2025
The novel Elphie follows the witch from infancy, shaped by her mother Melena’s impulsiveness and her father Frex’s stern piety, and navigating the jealousies that arise with the arrivals of her siblings, Nessarose and Shell.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
But will his personal interests and impulsiveness keep him from his goal?
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Some viewers find her impulsiveness more irritating than endearing.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Farrell’s Sonny Crockett is a brooding, messy, temperamental cop whose impulsiveness and (ahem) intensity is balanced by his mopey vulnerability.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
The synergy between Scorpio’s intensity and Aries’ impulsiveness can spark drama, but also breakthroughs, specifically in relationships or collaborations where unspoken truths have been building.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impulsiveness
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
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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
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The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But the increasing unpredictability of the US, which has imposed heavy tariffs on its allies, has prompted Starmer and other Western leaders to look again to China.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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Evenings in the Staal household often carried a delicate unpredictability.—
Mayo Clinic News Network,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But while his own work is marked by coincidences and unexpected bookends, some provided by the universe and some engineered by the filmmaker, at its core, it’s defined by an unswerving faith in the boundless eccentricities and fascinating fixations of other people.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
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In astrology, Aquarius is often celebrated for its eccentricity and offbeat charm.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impulsiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impulsiveness. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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