instinctive

adjective

in-ˈstiŋ(k)-tiv How to pronounce instinctive (audio)
Definition of instinctivenext
as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision the instinctive reaction of a mother is to protect her children

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word instinctive distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of instinctive are automatic, impulsive, mechanical, and spontaneous. While all these words mean "acting or activated without deliberation," instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

When is automatic a more appropriate choice than instinctive?

In some situations, the words automatic and instinctive are roughly equivalent. However, automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

When might impulsive be a better fit than instinctive?

The meanings of impulsive and instinctive largely overlap; however, impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment.

impulsive acts of violence

In what contexts can mechanical take the place of instinctive?

The words mechanical and instinctive can be used in similar contexts, but mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

Where would spontaneous be a reasonable alternative to instinctive?

While the synonyms spontaneous and instinctive are close in meaning, spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness.

a spontaneous burst of applause

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of instinctive Mobile messaging relies on push notifications, driving rapid, instinctive responses before an employee’s critical thinking kicks in. — Firas Azmeh, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Those decisions have to become instinctive, and that familiarity is still coming. — Michael Russo, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 There had been this instinctive belief that maybe somebody like that could protect himself. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 There is an instinctive appreciation for quality and craftsmanship; it is not treated as something exceptional, but as part of everyday life. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for instinctive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctive
  1. automatic
  2. mechanical
  3. reflex
  4. spontaneous
  5. instinctual
  6. robotic
  7. mechanic
Adjective
  • District winners earn automatic berths into the FHSAA playoffs.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Independent Payment Advisory Board, which was supposed to force automatic Medicare cuts if spending exceeded target growth rates, was repealed in 2018 without ever becoming operational.
    — Dana P. Goldman, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of automatic
Adjective
  • Bushings are parts designed to reduce friction and absorb shock in various mechanical assemblies.
    — Graham Kates, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • These components are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and mechanical stress.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of mechanical
Adjective
  • The reflex sell-off after Wednesday's Federal Reserve rate hike gave the S&P 500 a momentary test of 7500, which proved a timely shakeout.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Padmini smiled, though this appeared more reflex than friendliness.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of reflex
Adjective
  • Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Celine’s Michael Rider leads a pack of creatives who seek spontaneous styling, embrace imperfection, and refuse to be bound by rules.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of spontaneous
Adjective
  • There’s an instinctual quality to how Navarrette has navigated her career thus far.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The downside is that these shifts are not situations where instinctual actions are superfluous.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of instinctual
Adjective
  • Five of the world's space agencies joined forces for the five-year mission that will attempt to land a robotic prospector and a rover on Phobos, the larger and closer of Mars' two pint-sized moons.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The experiment, conducted by computer scientists at Binghamton University in New York, exposed a security weakness in large language models (LLMs) used to plan robotic actions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of robotic
Adjective
  • Parched fields force hydroponic growers, vegetable farmers and fruit producers to halt harvests, sell off underfed livestock at rock-bottom prices and even return to mechanic jobs to survive.
    — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There are exceptions and one is Hig (Elordi), who before the virus hit was a mechanic living a good life with his pregnant wife and new puppy.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mechanic

Browse Nearby Words

instinct
instinctive
instinctively
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Cite this Entry

“Instinctive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctive. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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