intuitive

intuitive — adjective

1. describing a feeling, belief, or judgment that comes from an inner sense of what

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing a feeling, belief, or judgment that comes from an inner sense of what is true or right, without the person having to examine facts step by step.

Example

Felipe had an intuitive sense that the job offer was not right for him.

intuitive sense + that-clause

Amelia's intuitive reaction to the stranger was one of caution and distrust.

Common collocations
  • intuitive sense
  • intuitive feeling
  • intuitive understanding
  • intuitive knowledge
  • intuitive leap
  • intuitive reaction
  • intuitive choice
  • intuitive response
Synonyms
  • instinctive

    Refers more to automatic biological behaviour rather than a conscious feeling; e.g. 'an instinctive fear of snakes'

  • unconscious

    Describes a process happening below awareness; weaker sense of deliberate perception than 'intuitive'

  • spontaneous

    Focuses on the sudden, unplanned nature of the response rather than the inner-feeling source

Antonyms
  • analytical

    Based on careful, step-by-step examination of facts rather than inner feeling

  • reasoned

    Arrived at through logical thinking rather than intuition

Usage Note

Use this sense when describing a feeling or belief itself, not the person who has it. For describing a person, see sense 2 (HAVING INTUITION). Distinguish from 'instinctive' (which describes inborn biological behaviour, such as a baby's instinct to suckle) and 'innate' (which describes a natural quality present from birth, such as an innate sense of rhythm).

Common Mistakes

I had an intuitive about the answer.
I had an intuitive feeling about the answer.
'intuitive' is an adjective; use 'intuition' (noun) for the thing itself.
Birds have an intuitive ability to build nests.
Birds have an instinctive ability to build nests.
'instinctive' is used for inborn biological behaviours; 'intuitive' describes a conscious feeling or understanding.

2. describes a person who naturally notices or understands things by relying on the

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes a person who naturally notices or understands things by relying on their inner feelings, without needing to reason slowly or examine the evidence carefully.

Example

Lan is an intuitive cook who never looks at written recipes.

intuitive + noun for a person type (cook, thinker, designer)

Highly intuitive about her friends' feelings, Elena could tell when someone was upset.

Common collocations
  • intuitive person
  • intuitive thinker
  • intuitive designer
  • intuitive leader
  • intuitive cook
  • intuitive about [someone's] feelings
Synonyms
  • perceptive

    Emphasises the accuracy of noticing things rather than the feeling-based source; slightly more formal

  • insightful

    Suggests deep understanding gained through intuition; more intellectual in tone

  • discerning

    Focuses on the ability to make fine judgements; often used for taste or quality

Antonyms
  • obtuse

    Slow to understand or notice things; the opposite of intuitive awareness

  • unobservant

    Failing to notice what is happening around you

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (BASED ON INTUITION), which describes feelings or decisions, this sense describes the person's ability. Common in workplace and character descriptions: 'intuitive leader', 'intuitive problem-solver'.

Common Mistakes

She is intuitive to people's needs.
She is intuitive about people's needs.
The usual preposition is 'about', not 'to'.

3. describes a tool, system, or design that people can understand and operate immed

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a tool, system, or design that people can understand and operate immediately, without having to read instructions or acquire new skills first.

Example

The new ticket machine is intuitive enough for a child to operate alone.

intuitive enough + to-infinitive

Trang loves the camera because its controls feel simple and intuitive.

Common collocations
  • intuitive interface
  • intuitive design
  • intuitive controls
  • intuitive layout
  • intuitive navigation
  • intuitive app
  • intuitive software
  • intuitive system
Synonyms
  • user-friendly

    Broader term that includes good design and clear instructions; 'intuitive' is more specific about needing no learning

  • straightforward

    Emphasises simplicity and lack of complexity rather than immediate understanding

  • simple

    More general; 'intuitive' adds the idea that the simplicity comes from natural expectations

Antonyms
  • complicated

    Hard to understand or use; requires effort to figure out

  • counterintuitive

    Behaving in a way opposite to what a person would naturally expect

  • confusing

    Causing uncertainty because the design does not match expectations

Usage Note

This sense is most common in reviews of products, apps, and websites. 'Intuitive' in this sense does not mean the user is intuitive — it means the product itself is easy to grasp. Frequently used with: 'interface', 'design', 'controls', 'layout', 'navigation'.

Common Mistakes

The instructions are very intuitive.
The software is very intuitive.
If you need instructions at all, the product is not truly intuitive. An intuitive product works without a manual.
This game is intuitive to learn.
This game is intuitive to play.
'Intuitive' describes ease of operation during use, not the learning process.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These three words all describe something that happens without deliberate thinking, but they differ in what creates it and where it applies. 'Intuitive' is about a mental feeling or inner sense — you sense something is right without knowing why (e.g., 'an intuitive suspicion that something was wrong'). 'Instinctive' describes an inborn biological reaction shared by a species — it is automatic, not learned, and often tied to survival (e.g., 'an instinctive flinch at a loud noise'). 'Innate' refers to a quality or talent that is present from birth, belonging to a person's nature (e.g., 'an innate sense of rhythm'). You can develop or train intuition (a doctor's intuitive diagnosis after years of practice), but instincts and innate traits are baked in. In everyday use, 'intuitive' is the most common for personal decisions and technology; 'instinctive' is used for automatic physical reactions; and 'innate' is used for natural abilities that define who someone is.

intuitive ↗instinctive ↗innate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • intuition (noun form)
  • intuitiveness

Adverbs

  • very intuitive
  • highly intuitive
  • deeply intuitive
  • quite intuitive
  • surprisingly intuitive
  • naturally intuitive

Phrases

  • on an intuitive level
  • at an intuitive level
  • by intuitive feel

Prepositions

  • intuitive about [something]
  • intuitive to [use/operate]

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Intuitive' entered English in the mid-1600s from French 'intuitif', which came from Latin 'intuitivus' — meaning 'reflecting inner sight or contemplation'. The root is the Latin verb 'intueri', a combination of 'in-' (into, upon) and 'tueri' (to look at, watch, guard). So the original image is of 'looking into' something with the mind's eye rather than with physical sight. The word was first used in philosophy and religion to describe direct knowledge of God or truth. By the 1800s it expanded to everyday psychology. The modern technology sense (EASY TO USE, sense 3) emerged in the late 1900s as personal computing grew, describing software that a user could 'see how to use' without a manual.