Meaning & use

spur-of-the-moment

adjective·Everyday

Done suddenly and without planning, based on a sudden impulse.

See it in a sentence

They made a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive to the coast for the weekend.

It was a spur-of-the-moment purchase that she immediately regretted.

A note on using this word

Spur-of-the-moment is always hyphenated when used before a noun and describes decisions made instantly, without the usual consideration or planning.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

planneddeliberate

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