instinct

instinct — noun

1. a natural ability or tendency that makes a person or animal react or act in a pa

1.nounB2
Definition

a natural ability or tendency that makes a person or animal react or act in a particular way without needing to think or be taught

Example

When the fire alarm rang, Ilan's first instinct was to head for the nearest exit.

'instinct + to-infinitive' showing natural impulse

Without any training, Isabela's instinct told her how to calm the frightened horse.

Common collocations
  • survival instinct
  • maternal instinct
  • natural instinct
  • gut instinct
  • protective instinct
  • by instinct
  • on instinct
Synonyms
  • intuition

    more about a feeling or knowing that arises without reasoning; less about inborn biological behaviour

  • impulse

    a sudden, strong urge to act; less permanent and less innate than instinct

  • gut feeling

    informal; a strong personal sense about a situation without clear reasons

Antonyms
  • reasoning

    the process of thinking through facts and logic, the opposite of acting by instinct

  • learned behaviour

    actions acquired through experience or training rather than inborn

Grammar Patterns

instinct + to-infinitive

possessive + instinct

instinct + for + noun

Usage Note

Instinct can be countable (an instinct, the instinct) or uncountable (by instinct). The possessive form is very common: my instinct, her instinct, a cat's instinct. Frequently modified by adjectives such as natural, basic, strong, protective, maternal, or gut.

Common Mistakes

I knew by intuition that the snake was dangerous.
I knew by instinct that the snake was dangerous.
'intuition' suggests a thoughtful inner knowing; 'instinct' is a built-in, unlearned reaction.

instinct — adjective

Word family

  • instinctive
    adjectiveB2
  • instinctively
    adverbB2
  • instinctual
    adjectiveC1
  • instinctually
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Instinct, intuition, impulse, and gut feeling all describe reactions that happen without deliberate reasoning, but they differ in origin and scope. Instinct refers to an inborn, biological tendency shared by all members of a species — the instinct to flee from danger or protect one's young. Intuition is more personal and mental: a sudden insight or understanding that you cannot fully explain, such as knowing a person is lying without being able to say why. Impulse is a momentary urge to act, often driven by emotion rather than deep knowledge; impulses can be resisted or regretted. Gut feeling is an informal expression for a strong, immediate sense about a situation, sitting somewhere between intuition and instinct. For example, your instinct tells you to pull your hand from a hot stove; your intuition tells you the job candidate is hiding something; an impulse makes you buy the shoes you do not need; and a gut feeling warns you not to trust the salesperson's promises.

instinct ↗intuition ↗impulse ↗gut feeling

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • by instinct
  • on instinct
  • purely by instinct

Phrases

  • gut instinct
  • first instinct
  • natural instinct
  • basic instinct
  • instinct for survival
  • act on instinct

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Instinct comes from the Latin word instinctus, meaning 'impulse' or 'inspiration.' This noun came from the verb instinguere, which meant 'to incite' or 'to impel.' English borrowed the noun form in the early 1400s to describe a natural inner drive. The adjective sense, used with 'with' to mean 'full of,' appeared in the 1500s and was especially popular in literary writing of the 17th through 19th centuries.