noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈɪm.pə.təs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
nonstandard, obsolete:/ɪmˈpiː.təs/
CMU ARPABET:IH1 M P AH0 T AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Anything that impels; a stimulating factor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The outbreak of World War II in 1939 gave a new impetus to receiver development.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A principle of motive force, held as equivalent to weight times velocity by John Buridan, in an auxiliary theory of Aristotelian dynamics introduced by John Philoponus, describing projectile motion against gravity as linear until it transitions to a vertical drop and the intellectual precursor to the concepts of inertia, momentum and acceleration in classical mechanics.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: medieval physics
Topics: history, human-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
An activity in response to a stimulus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
the act of applying force suddenly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the impulse knocked him over
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: impulse, impulsion
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: drive, thrust, driving force
7
noun
Meaning 7
a force that moves something along
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: drift, impulsion
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: force
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin impetus (“a rushing upon, an attack, assault, onset”), from impetō (“to rush upon, attack”), from in- (“upon”) + petō (“to seek, fall upon”).
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
təkan
— something that impels
Azerbaijani:
stimul
— something that impels
Bengali:
উদ্দীপনা
(uddipona)
— something that impels
Bulgarian:
стимул
(stimul)
— something that impels
Czech:
podnět
— something that impels
Czech:
popud
— something that impels
Czech:
impuls
— something that impels
Dutch:
aanleiding
— something that impels
Dutch:
impuls
— something that impels
Esperanto:
impeto
— something that impels
Finnish:
sysäys
— something that impels
German:
Antrieb
— something that impels
German:
Schub
— something that impels
German:
Anstoß
— something that impels
German:
Anschub
— something that impels
German:
Schwung
— something that impels
Italian:
impulso
— something that impels
Italian:
spinta
— something that impels
Māori:
āinga
— something that impels
Māori:
kipakipa
— something that impels
Occitan:
impulsion
— something that impels
Persian:
برانگیزنده
(barângizanda, barângizande)
— something that impels
Russian:
и́мпульс
(ímpulʹs)
— something that impels
Russian:
сти́мул
(stímul)
— something that impels
Russian:
толчо́к
(tolčók)
— something that impels
Serbo-Croatian:
impetus
— something that impels
Serbo-Croatian:
impuls
— something that impels
Serbo-Croatian:
poticaj
— something that impels
Spanish:
ímpetu
— something that impels
Ukrainian:
імпульс
(impulʹs)
— something that impels
Ukrainian:
поштовх
(poštovx)
— something that impels
Ukrainian:
стимул
(stymul)
— something that impels
Azerbaijani:
təkan
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Bulgarian:
подбуда
(podbuda)
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Bulgarian:
импулс
(impuls)
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Czech:
impuls
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Czech:
hybná síla
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Danish:
drivkraft
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Dutch:
impuls
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Dutch:
stuwkracht
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Finnish:
sysäys
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
French:
élan
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
German:
Triebkraft
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Norwegian:
drivkraft
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Occitan:
impulsion
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Persian:
نیروی برانگیزنده
(nirôye barângizande)
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Portuguese:
ímpeto
— a force, either internal or external, that impels; an impulse
Bengali:
উদ্দীপনা
(uddipona)
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Bulgarian:
устрем
(ustrem)
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Bulgarian:
тласък
(tlasǎk)
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Czech:
stimul
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Dutch:
drijvende kracht
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Dutch:
stuwkracht
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Finnish:
liikevoima
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
German:
Antrieb
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
German:
Anschub
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Occitan:
impulsion
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Occitan:
estimulús
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Persian:
برانگیزنده
(barângizanda, barângizande)
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Persian:
انگیختار
(angixtâr)
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Portuguese:
impulso
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Serbo-Croatian:
impetus
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Serbo-Croatian:
impuls
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Serbo-Croatian:
poticaj
— the force or energy associated with a moving body; a stimulus
Bulgarian:
реакция
(reakcija)
— an activity in response to a stimulus
Dutch:
stimulans
— an activity in response to a stimulus
Dutch:
prikkel
— an activity in response to a stimulus
German:
Schwung
— an activity in response to a stimulus
German:
Wucht
— an activity in response to a stimulus
German:
Schub
— an activity in response to a stimulus
Occitan:
impulsion
— an activity in response to a stimulus
Occitan:
estimulacion
— an activity in response to a stimulus
