Meaning & use
impulsively
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Meaning
adverbnot comparable
In a sudden way, acting on a strong urge without thinking about the results.
Grammar: Describes a verb: he acted impulsively; it is often placed before or after the verb.
Patterns
- act impulsively
- buy something impulsively
She impulsively booked a flight to Lisbon.
He quit his job impulsively and regretted it later.
I impulsively hugged the stranger who found my wallet.
Word forms
| comparative | more impulsively |
|---|---|
| superlative | most impulsively |
Common combinations
- act impulsively
- Don't act impulsively when you are angry.
- buy impulsively
- Shoppers often buy impulsively near the checkout.
- decide impulsively
- He decided impulsively to adopt the puppy.
- react impulsively
- Kids react impulsively to loud noise.
- speak impulsively
- She spoke impulsively and hurt his feelings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rashly
- Rashly strongly criticizes the lack of thought, while impulsively is more neutral.
- spontaneously
- Spontaneously sounds natural and pleasant, but impulsively suggests lack of control.
- hastily
- Hastily is about speed, not about acting on an urge.
- on impulse
- On impulse means the same but is a phrase and is commonly used with buy.
Opposites
Word family
- impulse noun
- a sudden urge to act
- impulsive adjective
- acting without thought
- impulsiveness noun
- the habit of acting on impulse
Commonly confused: impulsively or compulsively?
impulsively vs compulsively
Compulsively means unable to stop doing something, not just acting suddenly once.
Practice
He ___ bought the expensive watch without checking the price.
Choose one answer.
Without checking the price shows a sudden unplanned decision, so impulsively fits. Carefully and reluctantly contradict the context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “impulsively”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.