impulse
verb
, im-ˈpəls\
Definition of impulse
(Entry 1 of 2)
impulse
noun
\
Definition of impulse (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for impulse
Synonyms: Noun
boost, encouragement, goad, impetus, incentive, incitation, incitement, instigation, momentum, motivation, provocation, spur, stimulant, stimulus, yeast
Antonyms: Noun
counterincentive, disincentive
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Examples of impulse in a Sentence
Noun
He has to learn to control his impulses. the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy neededRecent Examples on the Web: Verb
Women displayed way more brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, the region that deals with decision making, focus and impulse control. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Science Says Women Have a More Active Brain, Compared to Men," 8 Aug. 2017Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Many people who leave their small-town homes for school or any number of other reasons later discover that the tug of their roots is greater than migratory impulses. — Liza Weisstuch, BostonGlobe.com, "Tulsa is in the throes of a dining renaissance," 2 Sep. 2019 Sampaio's picking impulses vary based on different factors. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Sara Sampaio Wants Others With Trichotillomania to Not Feel Shame About Their Hair-Pulling Disorder," 1 Sep. 2019 This means cerebral organoids are generating electrical impulses. — The Economist, "Cerebral organoids are becoming more brainlike," 29 Aug. 2019 More than anything else, this impulse explains why Americans have transformed James Buchanan into our first gay president. — Thomas Balcerski, Smithsonian, "The 175-Year History of Speculating About President James Buchanan’s Bachelorhood," 28 Aug. 2019 The scientists suggest an optimistic mindset may promote healthy behaviors like exercise and healthy diets and help individuals resist the temptation of unhealthy impulses like smoking and drinking. — David Shultz, Science | AAAS, "Cheer up! Optimists live longer," 26 Aug. 2019 These electrical signals typically happen without such lavender bursts, but this nerve cell holds a special dye that emits light with each impulse. — Kelso Harper, Scientific American, "Flashing Neurons, Invisible Moonlight and Adorable Squid Babies: The Week’s Best Science GIFs," 23 Aug. 2019 Serene images of row after row of double-decker bike racks, with space for 12,500 (!) bicycles, were technically absorbed by my retina, where they were converted into electrochemical impulses and transferred along the optic nerve to my brain. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "I can’t wrap my feeble American brain around this massive bike parking garage in the Netherlands," 20 Aug. 2019 These are not even desperate blind flings from the realization of the hopeless situation in our society; these are just senseless inertial impulses of a decrepit organism that has lost its bearing. — Anatoly Chernyaev, Harper's magazine, "Cogs of War," 19 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impulse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for impulse
impulse
noun
English Language Learners Definition of impulse
See the full definition for impulse in the English Language Learners Dictionary
impulse
noun
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