1
as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity
the new auto factory was just the impulse that the local economy needed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tendencies
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
the universal, fundamental impulse of self-preservation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impulses
Adams, Washington’s successor, possessed monarchical impulses, but not a monarchical aura.
—
Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Medical device center employees have been trying to temper those impulses.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 7 Jan. 2026
The first season’s achievement was making these two impulses feel indivisible.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
The project veered toward her most experimental impulses, stretching to nearly 90 minutes of drones and eerie spoken word.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2025
The tool monitors brain signals in real time, using implants to record electrical impulses, and AI to analyze the outputs and flag warning signs of relapse.
—Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Dec. 2025
His boys resist their impulses and core traits, but can never be successful for long in that rebellion.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 18 Dec. 2025
The cosmic vibration is supposed to be more perceptible and bring out repressed impulses, emotions, or insights.
—Hannah Madlener, Glamour, 12 Dec. 2025
Catalina’s character is exceptionally well drawn, and the subtle, fantastic elements — unanswered phone calls, a sense of an unseen presence, intuitive impulses — lend the film a distinctive, poetic identity.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impulses
Noun
-
Kansas and Missouri have spent the past 18 months trying to secure the team through sweeping stadium-funding incentives packages — which the Chiefs used last month to announce their intentions for a move to Kansas.—
-
The country is largely focused on a self-sufficiency drive to build up its chipmaking capabilities, a push that’s included readying a new round of incentives of as much as $70 billion for the chip sector.—
Noun
-
The collaboration between certain MAGA influencers and animal-rights activists has drawn out the most confrontational tendencies within each camp.—
-
Steed said her mother was born around the time of the 1953 raid and grew up with anti-government and, in turn, anti-vaccine tendencies.—
Noun
-
In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.—
-
Hints, counsels, warnings, remonstrations, even encouragements are, in the end, of limited value.—
Noun
-
Lin—whose early career at Zappos and mathematical inclinations molded him into an early backer of companies like Airbnb and DoorDash—has been at Sequoia since 2010.—
-
For costume designer Nicky Smith, helping Robinson and Kanin deliver on the show’s eccentric potential meant working against her natural inclinations.—
Noun
-
Trump has repeatedly touted Venezuela’s rich oil supply as among the motivations for the January 2 military assault on the country and the capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, who has since been charged with drug trafficking and weapons possession.—
-
Though the videos did not reveal a motive, the federal investigation into Valente’s motivations will continue, the US attorney’s office said.—
Noun
-
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.—
-
More money is apt to make homeschooling worse and far less tailored to the individual student and their interests and aptitudes by encouraging parents to substitute pricey group programs for the requisite effort of individualized instruction.—
Noun
-
China’s global influence is further constrained by weak cultural affinities with other countries.—
-
If your affinities lean toward boutique accommodation, this darling 12-room property occupying an 1889-era school is just the ticket.—
Noun
-
By this decade, your body has started to naturally lose muscle mass, and putting on new muscle may be more difficult due to anabolic resistance, which blunts the muscle’s ability to respond to external stimuli like exercise and protein.—
-
Word games, information sleuthing, instructional videos, and even just chatting with friends can provide positive stimuli.—
Cite this Entry
“Impulses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impulses. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share