Impetuous
/ɪmˈpɛtʃuəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Impetuous means doing things fast, with a lot of energy, but without careful thought or planning. It often describes people who act on strong feelings or sudden desires, sometimes making mistakes because they do not stop to think first.
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See It in Action
Acting quickly without thinking
- •He made an impetuous decision to quit his job without another plan.
- •Her impetuous behavior often gets her into trouble.
- •Don’t be impetuous; think before you speak.
Showing strong emotion or energy in actions
- •The impetuous young man rushed to help without hesitation.
- •His impetuous nature made him brave but sometimes reckless.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "impetuous" like "quick," but much faster and without thinking—like jumping into water without checking if it’s cold
- ✓Picture a child running fast and shouting before anyone can stop them
- ✓It's the feeling when you buy something expensive without thinking if you really need it
- ✓Sounds like "im-PETCH-oo-us" → imagine someone trying to catch a ball too fast and missing it because they didn’t watch carefully
- ✓Think of a story where a hero rushes into danger without a plan and gets into trouble
- ✓NOT like "careful" (slow and thoughtful), impetuous is fast and careless
- ✓NOT like "slow" or "patient," impetuous is the opposite—quick and sometimes reckless
- ✓NOT like "rash" (which is similar), but impetuous often includes strong emotion or energy pushing the action
Try Other Words
- •Rash: acting without care (Use when the focus is on careless quick action)
- •Hasty: done too quickly (Use when emphasizing speed more than emotion)
- •Reckless: ignoring danger or rules (Use when the action is dangerous or unsafe)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "im-" (often means "not" or "into," but here part of the whole word)
- •Root: "petu-" from Latin "petere" meaning "to rush" or "to seek"
- •Suffix: "-ous" meaning "full of" or "having the quality of"
- •Etymology: From Latin "impetuosus," meaning full of force or rushing
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century to describe forceful or rushing actions or people
- •Modern usage: Describes people or actions that are energetic but lack careful thought, often causing problems
Reflect & Connect
•Can acting impetuously sometimes be a good thing? When might quick action help?
•How do you balance being impetuous and being thoughtful in your decisions?
Fill in the blanks
1.He made an impetuous decision ___ without thinking about the results.
2.Her impetuous reaction showed she was feeling ___ and excited.
3.Unlike careful planning, impetuous actions often lead to ___.
4.When someone is impetuous, they tend to act ___ and sometimes regret it later.
5.People who are impetuous usually do not ___ before they act.
6.The story described an impetuous hero who rushed into danger ___ any fear.
7.Impetuous behavior is different from calm behavior because it is more ___ and emotional.