English Dictionary
Definition instinct in British English
instinct
noun
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.
These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
[countable/uncountable]
noun
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
/ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
▪ aggressive, animal, basic, maternal, natural, primitive, protective
▪ follow, ignore, obey, trust
1
a natural tendency to behave in a particular way that people and animals are born with and that they obey without knowing why. For example the maternal instinct is a woman's natural tendency to behave like a mother
Example
the instinct for survival
Synonyms and related words
2
a natural ability to know what to do in a particular situation
Synonyms and related words
