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 of instinctive

• automatic
• mechanical
• reflex
• spontaneous
• instinctual
• robotic
• mechanic

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

Their work is quiet, exacting, and system-driven, instinctive by way of engineering. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 21 Nov. 2025

Originally bred in Scotland to retrieve ducks and other fowl for hunters, golden retrievers have an instinctive love of water, according to an article from Wag! —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Just be instinctive and enjoy the process. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Nov. 2025

The piece Lee publishes isn’t a Pulitzer-winning takedown, but a posthumous profile of the reclusive, kind-hearted Dale, a man who shares Dale’s love of crime writers like Jim Thompson and instinctive empathy for underdogs. —Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for instinctive

• distinctive

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