gut feeling
An instinct or intuition; an immediate or basic feeling or reaction without a logical rationale.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I have a gut feeling that something is wrong.”
“She had a gut feeling about the deal, so she decided not to sign the contract.”
“Though he could cite no evidence, a persistent gut feeling warned him that the stranger was not to be trusted.”
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go with one's gut
To trust or follow an intuition or instinct, as opposed to an opinion based on a logical analysis.
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gut check
An honest, reflective appraisal of one's true feelings concerning a matter of concern.
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gut factor
The emotional dimension of decision-making. A person's subjective (often almost visceral) feelings about what is right or wrong, good or bad.
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gut out
To endure stoically.
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gut reaction
A visceral reaction that arises with little accompanying thought or even (sometimes) no thought.
Last updated August 10, 2026