impulse
An impulse is a sudden feeling or desire that makes you want to do something.
When we talk about an impulse, it's usually because someone did something on a whim – without thinking much about the consequences. Maybe you were shopping with friends and saw this really cool scarf, so you just bought it without even considering if you really needed it. Or maybe you decided to go out for dinner at the last minute because you felt like trying that new restaurant. Impulses can be fun, but they can also get us into trouble – we might spend too much money or make a decision that doesn't turn out so well in the end.
Impulse can also refer to an electrical signal that causes something to happen, usually in machines or electronic devices. This is more of a technical sense and not as common in everyday conversation.
How common is "impulse"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
A thrust; a push; a sudden force that impels.
Example: c. 1715-1716, Samuel Clarke, letter to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz All spontaneous animal motion is performed by mechanical impulse.
Real examples of "impulse" in context
