Use impulsive for people, choices, reactions, or purchases driven by the moment rather than by planning.
Use impulsive for people, choices, reactions, or purchases driven by the moment rather than by planning.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She acted impulsive during the meeting. | She acted impulsively during the meeting. |
| He made impulsively decision to leave. | He made an impulsive decision to leave. |
| I have an impulsive to buy it. | I have an impulse to buy it. |
| The weather was impulsive all afternoon. | The weather was changeable all afternoon. |
Use impulsive in technical writing for forces, loads, sounds, signals, or inputs whose effect comes in a short burst.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The bridge failed because the load was impulsive and lasted for hours. | The bridge failed because the load was continuous and lasted for hours. |
| The law was impulsive, so everyone had to obey it. | The law was compulsory, so everyone had to obey it. |
| The impulsive force made a reckless decision. | The impulsive force acted for only a short time. |
| The slow heating was an impulsive input. | The sudden hammer blow was an impulsive input. |
Use impulsive when the key idea is action from a sudden push or urge, and choose a narrower word when the issue is only speed, liveliness, or obligation.
Acted impulsive needs the adverb impulsively, while an impulsive person and an impulsive decision use the adjective.
From late Middle English and French impulsif, from Medieval Latin impulsivus, based on Latin impulsus, the past participle of impellere, meaning to push or drive onward.