# instinctive

/ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/ (US) · /ɪnstˈɪŋktɪv/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/instinctive
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

describing a feeling or action that you do naturally without having to think about it first.

For teachers: relating to or prompted by an innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in response to certain stimuli; arising from impulse rather than conscious thought.

## Examples

- Her reaction to the loud noise was instinctive.
- The experienced pilot made an instinctive correction to the controls as soon as the plane hit the turbulence.
- While some social behaviours are learned through observation, the protective bond between a parent and a newborn is often described as an instinctive drive that transcends cultural boundaries.

## Pitfalls

- Not "an instinctly reaction" but "an instinctive reaction" — Learners sometimes confuse the adjective 'instinctive' with the adverb 'instinctively' or the noun 'instinct' when modifying a noun.

## Usage notes

- Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'seem', or attributively before a noun.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.