instinct

noun
UK: /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
US: /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

  1. A natural tendency to behave in a particular way that people and animals are born with.

    1. Birds know how to build nests by instinct. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her first instinct was to run away from the dangerous situation. [ ] [ ]

  2. An ability to understand something immediately, without needing conscious thought or learning.

    1. He seemed to have an instinct for knowing what people wanted. [ ] [ ]
    2. Following my gut instinct, I decided not to invest in that company. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

knack feeling aptitude hunch intuition
instinct transitive-verb

  1. To fill with instinct, especially to rouse by or as if by instinct.

    1. The sight of the attacker instincted the dog to attack. [ ] [ ]
    2. Fear instincted him to flee from the approaching storm. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "instinct" in English means: A natural tendency to behave in a particular way that people and animals are born with., An ability to understand something immediately, without needing conscious thought or learning..

The phonetic transcription of "instinct" is /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ in British English and /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "instinct": knack, feeling, aptitude, hunch, intuition.

Example usage of "instinct": "Birds know how to build nests by instinct.". More examples on the page.