French Conversation · Level 158
30 words
French word
pulsion
Pronunciation
IPA/pylsjɔ̃/
Meaning
- feminine nounimpulse
Example
Elle a cédé à sa pulsion d'acheter le gâteau.
She gave in to the impulse to buy the cake.
More examples
Elle a lutté contre sa pulsion d'acheter ce manteau.
She fought against her impulse to buy that coat.
Core concept
A force rising inside the mind and driving an action that feels difficult to resist.
Common phrases
lutter contre une pulsion
resist an impulse
contrôler sa pulsion
control one's urge
Similar words
envie: An ordinary feeling of wanting to do something.
désir: A strong feeling of wanting something.
tentation: A feeling that makes someone want to do something, often against better judgment.
impulsion: An outside force or trigger that moves a person or object.
Definition in French
Tendance intérieure irrésistible qui conduit à un comportement, parfois liée à des besoins ou instincts.
Word origin
Pulsion continues Latin pulsio, meaning an act of pushing, and became established in French psychological and psychoanalytic vocabulary.
Usage tips
- Pulsion usually concerns a psychological drive, whereas impulsion more often names impetus, influence, or a motivating push in broader contexts.
Other meanings
- urgenoun
- sex drivenoun
Opposites
- modérationmoderationnoun
- maîtriseself-restraintnoun