What does instinct mean?
An instinct is an impulse, inclination, or pattern of response that comes naturally and often without conscious thought. People speak of a survival instinct, a mother's instinct, or an instinct to withdraw from danger, while animals' instinctive behavior provides the clearest biological example. The word can also describe a person's rapid intuitive judgment: an instinct may be felt as a strong sense that something is right or wrong, dangerous, or promising. It is not necessarily irrational, although instinct and deliberate reasoning can sometimes conflict. In ordinary use, instinct suggests a response shaped by natural disposition, experience, or intuition. The term is especially common in discussions of psychology, biology, sport, and everyday decision-making, where it contrasts with carefully planned or consciously calculated action.
nounAn innate, largely unconscious impulse or tendency that prompts a person to act in a particular way, especially in response to danger, opportunity, or a personal situation. It can also refer to the intuitive ability to understand something quickly without deliberate reasoning.
- An innate, largely unconscious impulse that prompts a particular response, especially in survival, emotional, or social situations.
- The intuitive faculty that enables someone to respond quickly and accurately without deliberate reasoning.
- A natural or inherited tendency in an animal or person, particularly one governing instinctive behavior.
"Her instinct told her that something was wrong before she had any evidence to prove it."
"The animal's instinct to flee was triggered by the sudden movement in the grass."
"When the opportunity arose, she acted on instinct and accepted the offer immediately."
The plural is used for separate natural impulses, tendencies, or intuitive responses.
"The animals' instincts helped them react quickly to changes in their environment."
The word instinct points to a response that arrives before thought, while its Latin ancestor means a prompting or impulse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does instinct come from?
Instinct comes through French from Latin instinctus, a noun meaning “impulse,” “instigation,” or “natural prompting.” The Latin word is related to the verb instinguere, formed from in- and stinguere, although the precise historical development of the English sense is more complicated than the literal elements suggest. The English word has long been used for innate tendencies in both people and animals and later broadened to include rapid intuitive responses. Its relatives instinctive, instinctual, and instinctively preserve the same Latin foundation.
Related word forms
How instinct is actually used
The word is common in both formal and informal English. It is often used for behavior believed to arise from nature, experience, or intuition rather than conscious reasoning; in biological contexts, it can describe behavior that is inherited and relatively automatic.
Easily confused with instinct
Instinct usually refers to a natural impulse or behavioral tendency, whereas intuition more often refers to a rapid understanding or insight that does not depend on conscious reasoning.