noun
impulse
IHM-puhls
noun
1
A sudden strong urge to act, often without thinking it through.
"She had a sudden impulse to quit her job and travel the world."
"He fought the impulse to shout back at the rude customer."
2
A sudden force or push that sets something in motion.
"The electrical impulse triggers the muscle to contract."
How to Use Impulse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden urge to do something, or (more technically) a sudden burst of force or energy.
Common pairings
on impulse
impulse buy
resist the impulse
Word Forms
impulsed past tense, impulses plural, impulses singular
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Etymology
From Latin impulsus, from impellere ("to push against, urge on").