Word: impetuous (adjective)

Associations

"Impetuous" describes someone who acts quickly without thinking carefully. It often means acting with sudden energy or emotion, sometimes causing problems because of lack of thought.

• He made an impetuous decision to buy the car without checking its condition. (He acted too quickly.)
• Her impetuous behavior sometimes gets her into trouble at work. (She acts without thinking.)
• The impetuous wind blew the papers off the table. (The wind was sudden and strong.)

A well-known synonym is "rash." The difference: "impetuous" often suggests acting with strong emotion or energy, while "rash" focuses more on lack of careful thought and possible danger.

Substitution

You can replace "impetuous" with:

• rash (focus on careless or risky action)
• impulsive (acting on sudden urges)
• hasty (acting too quickly)

Each changes the tone slightly. For example, "impulsive" can be less negative, sometimes meaning spontaneous, while "rash" is more negative.

Deconstruction

The word "impetuous" comes from Latin "impetuosus," from "impetus" meaning "attack, force, or impulse." The root "pet-" means "to seek" or "to rush." The prefix "im-" here is part of the Latin word, not the English negative prefix.

So, "impetuous" literally means "full of force or rushing," which fits the meaning of acting suddenly and with energy.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you or someone else acted impetuously? What happened?
• How is being impetuous different from being careful or thoughtful?
• In what situations might being impetuous be good or bad?