intuition

intuition — noun

1. a person's natural power to know or grasp something at once through emotion and

1.nounB2
Definition

a person's natural power to know or grasp something at once through emotion and instinct, without the need for logical reasoning

Example

Yael trusted her intuition when choosing which job offer to accept.

trust one's intuition — collocation with 'trust'

Some people rely more on intuition, while others prefer to analyse every detail.

rely on intuition — contrast pattern with analytical approach

Common collocations
  • trust your intuition
  • rely on intuition
  • by intuition
  • develop your intuition
  • a flash of intuition
Synonyms
  • instinct

    more biological and automatic; suggests an inborn, unlearned response rather than an acquired sense

  • gut feeling

    informal; refers to a specific immediate reaction rather than the general ability

  • sixth sense

    more mystical or supernatural in tone; implies perception beyond the five senses

Antonyms
  • reason

    conscious logical thought, the opposite process to intuition

  • logic

    systematic reasoning based on facts, contrasted with intuitive understanding

Grammar Patterns

intuition + verb (tells, suggests)

possessive + intuition

by intuition

Usage Note

Uncountable in this sense; describes a general human capacity rather than a specific feeling. Frequently takes a possessive determiner (her intuition, my intuition) or appears in phrases like by intuition or on intuition.

Common Mistakes

I have an intuition that tells me when someone is lying' (when meaning the general ability).
I rely on my intuition to tell when someone is lying.
When referring to the general capacity, use 'intuition' without an article.

2. a specific belief or impression that arises suddenly, without any obvious reason

2.nounB2
Definition

a specific belief or impression that arises suddenly, without any obvious reasoning process to explain it

Example

Tariq had a sudden intuition that the missing keys were in the car.

have a sudden intuition that [clause] — common pattern

A strange intuition came over Hugo as he entered the empty house.

intuition + come over [person] — feeling as subject

Common collocations
  • have an intuition
  • a sudden intuition
  • a strong intuition
  • a clear intuition
  • act on an intuition
  • follow an intuition
Synonyms
  • hunch

    informal; a guess or feeling based on intuition rather than evidence

  • feeling

    broader term; can be based on any source, not necessarily intuitive

  • suspicion

    suggests mistrust or doubt; more negative in tone

  • inkling

    a vague or slight suspicion; weaker intensity than intuition

Grammar Patterns

have an intuition that + clause

possessive + intuition + that-clause

Usage Note

Countable in this sense; use an intuition or the intuition when referring to a specific instance. The that-clause pattern (an intuition that...) is very common and distinguishes this sense from the uncountable ability sense. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes the general capacity, while this sense describes a single occurrence of that capacity producing a particular feeling.

Common Mistakes

I had intuition that he was lying.
I had an intuition that he was lying.
When referring to a specific feeling, you need the article 'an' before 'intuition'.
My intuition told me she was upset' (when you mean a specific feeling about one event).
I had an intuition that she was upset.
Use 'had an intuition' + that-clause to mark a specific instance rather than the general ability.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Intuition, instinct, gut feeling, and sixth sense all describe forms of knowing that bypass conscious reasoning, but they differ in scope and register. Intuition is the broadest term — it refers to the general human capacity to understand something immediately through feelings rather than logic, and it applies to decisions, judgments, or insights in nearly any domain. Instinct is more biological and automatic; it describes innate, unlearned behaviours such as an instinct to flee from danger, rather than acquired intuitive judgments. Gut feeling is an informal expression for a specific intuitive reaction, often used in everyday conversation ('I had a gut feeling he was lying'). Sixth sense carries a slightly mystical or supernatural tone, suggesting a perception beyond the normal five senses. In professional or academic writing, intuition is the most appropriate choice. In casual speech, gut feeling often replaces it — for instance, 'She had a gut feeling the meeting would go badly' versus 'Her intuition told her the strategy was flawed.'

instinct ↗gut feelingsixth sense ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go with your intuition
  • act on intuition
  • trust your intuition

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Intuition comes from the Latin verb 'intueri', meaning 'to look at' or 'to gaze upon'. It entered English in the late 1400s as a theological term for spiritual insight or contemplation, and by the 1800s it had expanded to describe the everyday human ability to know something without reasoning.