instinctive

adjective

in·​stinc·​tive in-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or being instinct

2

: prompted by natural instinct or propensity : arising spontaneously

an instinctive fear of innovation

—V. L. Parrington

instinctively adverb

Synonyms

• automatic
• instinctual
• involuntary
• knee-jerk
• mechanic
• mechanical
• robotic
• spontaneous

Choose the Right Synonym for instinctive

spontaneous, impulsive, instinctive, automatic, mechanical mean acting or activated without deliberation.

spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness.

a spontaneous burst of applause

impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment.

impulsive acts of violence

instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

Examples of instinctive in a Sentence

Cats have an instinctive desire to hunt.

the instinctive reaction of a mother is to protect her children

Recent Examples on the Web

In other words, the best answer is the one that comes straight from our heart and reflects our honest, intuitive, and instinctive views on their questions. —Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

The famed star never had a career plan, preferring to be more instinctive instead. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024

This wasn’t just an instinctive use of a hose—Mary was being strategic, and scientists were seriously impressed. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024

Pitre's college accolades included being named a First-Team All-Big 12 selection and winning the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, thanks to his ability to disrupt offenses as a versatile safety with strong coverage skills and an instinctive nose for the ball. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

instinctive

adjective

in·​stinc·​tive in-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or being instinct

2

: resulting from or caused by instinct

instinctively adverb

Medical Definition

instinctive

adjective

in·​stinc·​tive in-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or being instinct

2

: derived from or prompted by instinct

an instinctive fear

instinctively adverb