instinctual

adjective

Definition of instinctualnext
as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision the birds' instinctual response is to fly away when startled

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctual
  1. automatic
  2. mechanical
  3. instinctive
  4. reflex
  5. spontaneous
  6. mechanic
  7. robotic
  8. sudden
Adjective
  • However, these appliances usually come with an automatic shutoff timer that will turn the stovetop off when the time is up or incase of a spill.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The group granted automatic spots to the five conference championship game winners, which held the highest ranking, among the nine major conferences.
    Bret Baier, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2024
Definition of automatic
Adjective
  • Despite the best efforts of officers and the relentless, mechanical drive of war, peace still sprung up organically whenever the season allowed.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Different sub-sets of the population view items differently at auction, and the grouping of people who are prepared to own an $800,000 mechanical artwork are all part-historian and recognize the roots of America's unique motorcycle culture.
    Mike Hanlon, New Atlas, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of mechanical
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of instinctive
Adjective
  • For one thing, markets had not significantly anticipated a Trump win in 2016, and indeed there was a reflex selloff on election night, which quickly reversed.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024
  • Based on the title character from the Netflix show Vida the Vet, this kit contains five sensory toys for treating patients, including a stethoscope with sound effects and reflex hammer.
    Pamela Brill, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024
Definition of reflex
Adjective
  • Just as quickly as this spontaneous embrace of mother and son began, Leo had had enough and darted back inside.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Watching Marty create characters that lived both in reality and also only his head, was a masterclass in spontaneous creation.
    Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of spontaneous
Adjective
  • Harroun installed it with a bracket above the dashboard rather than have a mechanic ride in the race with him, as was the custom of the day.
    George Petras, USA TODAY, 24 May 2024
  • When Part 4 was released in August 2023, mechanic Bennie was losing his garage.
    Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Apr. 2024
Definition of mechanic
Adjective
  • Make the response personal, avoiding corporate language or robotic phrases.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
  • The robotic explorer will investigate the oldest rocks on Mars to uncover more about the planet’s mysterious past.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
Definition of robotic
Adjective
  • Also, this expenditure seems trivial compared to your wife's sudden need for surgery to fix a medical problem.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Steph Curry’s two miraculous 3s in the final 12.2 seconds pulled the Warriors into a sudden tie.
    Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of sudden
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near instinctual

instincts

instinctual

institute

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Instinctual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctual. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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Nglish: Translation of instinctual for Spanish Speakers

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