Reading Theme:

Language:

Font Size:

📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Instinct: Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：innate behavior (instinct)

instinct 🔊

/ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

The natural way animals behave without being taught or thinking about it.

Instinct illustration: a baby bird's innate feeding behavior with its beak open wide.

innate behavior 🔊

➕

/ɪˈneɪt bɪˈheɪvjər/

An innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to specific stimuli.

📁 Category：Animal Protection 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'instinctus' (impulse, instigation), from 'instinguere' (to incite, to impel).

💡 Mnemonic

IN STINK? No, IN-STINCT. Imagine a strong, primal feeling rising INside you.

📖 Example

As soon as it hatched, the baby bird opened its mouth wide, following its natural instinct to be fed. 🔊 This illustrates the automatic, unlearned survival behavior common in newborn animals.

🔗 Collocations

maternal instinct – the natural tendency of a mother to protect and care for her offspring

survival instinct – the innate drive to preserve one's own life

basic instinct – a fundamental, primal drive such as for food, safety, or reproduction

🔄 Synonyms

impulse (n.) – A sudden strong and unreflective urge to act.

drive (n.) – An innate, biologically determined urge to attain a goal.

🚫 Antonyms

learned behavior (n.) – A behavior acquired through experience or teaching, not innate.

🌱 Derivatives

instinctive (adj.) – Relating to or prompted by instinct; done without conscious thought.

instinctually (adv.) – In an instinctive manner.

📖 Cultural Story

Comes from Latin 'instinctus', meaning 'impulse' or 'instigation'. This word is frequently used in psychology and behavioral science to describe innate, unlearned patterns of behavior, contrasting with learned or reasoned actions.

Meaning 2：gut feeling (instinct)

instinct 🔊

/ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

A strong feeling that guides your actions without you thinking logically about it.

gut feeling 🔊

➕

/ɡʌt ˈfiːlɪŋ/

A natural, intuitive feeling or reaction, not based on rational thought.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

My first instinct when I met him was to trust him, even though I didn't know why. 🔊 This describes an immediate, non-logical personal reaction to meeting someone new.

🔗 Collocations

trust your instincts – to rely on your intuitive feelings when making a decision

first instinct – the initial, immediate feeling or reaction one has

killer instinct – a fierce, competitive determination to succeed, often in sports or business

🔄 Synonyms

intuition (n.) – The ability to understand something immediately, without conscious reasoning.

hunch (n.) – A feeling or guess based on intuition rather than facts.

🚫 Antonyms

reason (n.) – The power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments logically.

deliberation (n.) – Long and careful consideration or discussion.