primitive impulses

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primitive impulses" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to basic, instinctual drives or urges that are inherent in human nature or behavior. Example: "The character's actions were driven by primitive impulses, reflecting a struggle between civilization and savagery."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Freud and psychoanalysis had exposed unconscious, primitive impulses lurking deep within all of us.

The Economist

What about those primitive impulses that helped get us there in the first place?

The New York Times

Working to control all those primitive impulses is the neocortex, the brain's more recently evolved outer layer.

The New York Times - Books

The crumbling castles of yore gave way to crime-infested urban centers, while fear of villains and ghosts were supplanted by anxiety about primitive impulses, incipient madness and barely repressed moral depravity.

The New York Times - Magazine

The pre-eminent example of violence taming violence, he says, is religion, which arose out of the practice of human sacrifice — a ritual that enabled a community to channel and purge its primitive impulses in a single cathartic act of collective bloodletting.

The New York Times - Books

The output of such art represents a unique complex of primitive impulses and traditional practices subjected both to sophisticated influences and to highly local developments; aside from aesthetic considerations, the study of folk art is particularly revealing in regard to the relationship between art and culture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats.

The New York Times

Fear is a primitive impulse, brainless as hunger, and because the aim of horror fiction is the production of the deepest kinds of fears, the genre tends to reinforce some remarkably uncivilized ideas about self-protection.

The New York Times - Books

They are propelled by the same primitive impulse that drove New Yorkers of a century ago to queue up to see Lillie Langtry, a professional beauty (and former mistress of the king of England) who occasionally appeared in plays.

The New York Times

As "Camus at Combat," a new collection of his editorials — he was a working journalist — makes plain, the experience, first, of the Nazi occupation of France, and then of the struggle of Algerian independence against France led him to conclude that the "primitive" impulse to kill and torture shared a taproot with the habit of abstraction, of thinking of other people as a class of entities.

The New Yorker

Not only does it encompass all the latest food trends like using seasonal, organic vegetables and ancient grains such as kamut and quinoa, but it also taps into our most primitive impulse: nourishing our children.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "primitive impulses" when you want to emphasize a raw, instinctual drive that is inherent and perhaps difficult to control. It adds a layer of depth and primal energy to your writing.

Common error

Avoid overuse in highly formal or scientific writing, where more neutral terms like "instinctual drives" or "fundamental urges" might be more appropriate. Overuse can make the writing seem overly dramatic or sensational.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primitive impulses" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "primitive" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "impulses". Ludwig examples show it describing inherent drives, often in contrast to civilized behavior. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Encyclopedias

21%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "primitive impulses" effectively captures fundamental, instinctual drives inherent in human behavior. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, and examples show its presence in news, encyclopedic, and scientific contexts. While grammatical and versatile, it's best used with consideration of context, especially in formal writing, where alternatives might be more appropriate. Ludwig's analysis and the included examples help illustrate its accurate and impactful application.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primal urges

Focuses on the intensity and compelling nature of the basic drives.

instinctual drives

Highlights the inherent and unlearned nature of the urges.

basic instincts

Emphasizes the fundamental and essential nature of the instincts.

fundamental urges

Stresses the foundational and underlying aspects of the desires.

underlying instincts

Suggests the less obvious but present drives.

raw instincts

Emphasizes the untamed and unrefined nature of the impulses.

unconscious desires

Focuses on drives outside of awareness.

deep-seated urges

Highlights the deeply ingrained nature of the desires.

elemental drives

Emphasizes the fundamental and essential nature of the drives.

visceral reactions

Focuses on the gut-level and instinctive response.

FAQs

How can I use "primitive impulses" in a sentence?

You can use "primitive impulses" to describe basic, instinctual drives or urges. For example: "The character's actions were driven by "primitive impulses", reflecting a struggle between civilization and savagery."

What are some alternatives to "primitive impulses"?

You can use alternatives like "basic instincts", "fundamental urges", or "primal urges" depending on the context.

What is the difference between "primitive impulses" and "basic instincts"?

"Primitive impulses" often implies a more raw and untamed quality, while "basic instincts" is a more general term for inherent drives.

Is it appropriate to use "primitive impulses" in academic writing?

While usable, consider the specific context. In some cases, more neutral terms like "instinctual drives" or "fundamental urges" may be more suitable for academic tone.