instinctive

adjective

in·stinc·tive | \ in-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv

Definition of instinctive

1 : of, relating to, or being instinct

2 : prompted by natural instinct or propensity : arising spontaneously an instinctive fear of innovation— V. L. Parrington

Other Words from instinctive Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About instinctive

Synonyms & Antonyms for instinctive

Synonyms

Antonyms

nonmechanical

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 On defense, Torcasio is an instinctive and disruptive talent. — Patrick Z. Mcgavin, chicagotribune.com, 9 Dec. 2021 For Stewart, there was something primal and instinctive in the relationship between this mother and her two sons, royal or not. — Iris Goldsztajn, Marie Claire, 1 Nov. 2021 Actions that were once immediate and instinctive require more time and thought. — Anurag Kotoky, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2021 Taking action based on data becomes seamless, automatic and instinctive for all. — Ashley Kramer, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 For Villeneuve, the process is bodily, instinctive and intuitive. — New York Times, 13 Oct. 2021 In 2015, reinforcement learning was used to train a computer to play Go, a subtle and instinctive board game, with superhuman skill. — Will Knight, Wired, 8 Oct. 2021 Its single-tap feature is seamless and instinctive to use. — Talia Abbas, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2021 And we were led by Tenet, who had natural and instinctive leadership skills. — CBS News, 22 Sep. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'instinctive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.