Definition Synonyms
Definition of instinct - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
behaviornatural impulse or behavior not learned
- Birds build nests by instinct.
2.
psychologyintuitive reaction not based on conscious thought
- She followed her instinct to avoid danger.
3.
biologyRare natural aptitude or abilityRare
- She has an instinct for music.
Adjective
1.
psychologyRare driven by innate impulse or natural tendencyRare
- Her decision was instinct, not based on analysis..
2.
emotionRare filled with a particular quality or feelingRare
- The air was instinct with tension.
Expressions with instinct
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strong drive to win, often with aggression or determination
She has a killer instinct on the basketball court.
acting naturally without thinking
He navigated the maze by instinct.
natural tendency to avoid danger
Animals rely on their survival instinct to escape predators.
natural drive in mothers to care for children
Her maternal instinct made her comfort the crying baby.
innate impulse driving survival or reproduction behavior
Animals rely on basic instinct to find food.
social tendency to follow group behaviors
Teenagers often display a strong herding instinct.
strong desire to return to one's home
After years abroad, his homing instinct grew stronger.
urge to prepare a home for newborn
The nesting instinct often kicks in during the third trimester of pregnancy.
natural tendency to hunt and kill prey
The lion's predator's instinct makes it a formidable hunter.
natural urge to join and act with a group
Herd instinct made them all run together.
response to perceived harmful event
His fight or flight instinct made him run away from the aggressive dog.
innate drive for survival and reproduction
The life instinct motivates animals to seek food and mates.
psychological drive towards death or self-destruction
Freud theorized about the death instinct influencing human behavior..
Origin of instinct
Latin, instinctus (impulse)
Terms with instinct included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
navigation
move carefully using touch or instinct
intuition
perceive danger through intuition or instinct
instinct
sense something instinctively
intuition decision
act based on a personal feeling or instinct
instinctive reaction
instant reaction made without thinking, often from instinct
subjective or instinctive
decision made without clear rules using personal judgment or instinct
direction instinct
to go straight ahead using instinct or simple judgment
instinct or action
natural urge or action to avoid harm or danger
animal instinct
recognize or detect as if by smelling
instinct
person's instinctive feelings
awareness
notice something not obvious, often by instinct or intuition
instinct
in a way that is based on instinct or emotion
navigation
move carefully using touch or instinct
instinct decision
act based on personal instinct or feeling
intuition
make decisions based on instinct
intuition decision
make a decision using instinct instead of careful thinking
intuition
sense danger through intuition or instinct
gut feeling
intuition or instinct can detect something
instinct emotion
in a way that is instinctive or deeply emotional
instinct
natural ability to understand without reasoning
intuition
perceived by instinct or inference
instinct
natural inclination towards inherited traits
instinct
natural instinct to engage in sexual behavior
instinct
in a deep instinctive way
Examples of instinct in a sentence
Her instinct told her something was wrong. His instinct told him to trust her. Relying on instinct, he made the decision. His instinct for survival kicked in during the crisis. The dog's instinct to protect its owner was evident. His reaction was purely instinct, not thought out.
The cat's movements were instinct, quick and precise. Her voice was instinct with passion. The garden was instinct with life.
View all translations of instinct
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:instinct, instinctif, ...
- German:Instinkt, instinktiv, ...
- Italian:istinto, naturale, ...
- Spanish:instinto, instintivo, ...
- Portuguese:instinto, instintivo, ...
- Chinese:本能, 本能的, ...
- Japanese:本能, 本能的な, ...
- Arabic:غَرِيزَة, فِطْرِي, ...
- Hebrew:אִינְסְטִינְקְט, אִינְסְטִינְקְטִיבִי, ...
- Russian:инстинкт, инстинктивный, ...
- Ukrainian:інстинкт, інстинктивний, ...
- Hindi:सहज प्रवृत्ति, स्वाभाविक, ...
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