INSTINCT: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for INSTINCT?

Need another word that means the same as “instinct”? Find 22 synonyms and 30 related words for “instinct” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Instinct” are: urge, appetite, desire, need, natural tendency, inclination, drive, compulsion, talent, gift, ability, capacity, facility, faculty, aptitude, skill, flair, feel, genius, knack, bent, replete

Instinct as a Noun

Definitions of "Instinct" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “instinct” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• Inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli.
• A natural propensity or skill of a specified kind.
• The fact or quality of possessing innate behaviour patterns.
• An innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in animals in response to certain stimuli.
• A natural or intuitive way of acting or thinking.

Synonyms of "Instinct" as a noun (21 Words)

ability	The quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment. A man of exceptional ability.
appetite	A feeling of craving something. They suffered from loss of appetite.
aptitude	Suitability or fitness. The aptitude of this society to assimilate new elements.
bent	A special way of doing something. He had a bent for it.
capacity	The maximum amount that something can contain. The room was filled to capacity.
compulsion	The action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint. The payment was made under compulsion.
desire	Something desired. A man of many desires.
drive	Hitting a golf ball off of a tee with a driver. Emotional and sexual drives.
facility	A natural effortlessness. They conversed with great facility.
faculty	One of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind. The law faculty.
feel	Feelings of heightened emotion. It s easy when you get the feel of it.
flair	Stylishness and originality. She had a flair for languages.
genius	An exceptionally intelligent person or one with exceptional skill in a particular area of activity. That woman has a genius for organization.
gift	Something acquired without compensation. Wedding gifts.
inclination	(geometry) the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line (measured counterclockwise from the positive half of the x-axis. Changes in inclination of the line on the graph.
knack	A tendency to do something. He had a special knack for getting into trouble.
natural tendency	Someone regarded as certain to succeed.
need	A state of extreme poverty or destitution. God has no need of men to accomplish His work.
skill	A particular ability. Difficult work taking great skill.
talent	A former weight and unit of currency, used especially by the ancient Romans and Greeks. She displayed a talent for garden design.
urge	An instinctive motive. He felt the urge to giggle.

Usage Examples of "Instinct" as a noun

• His instinct for making the most of his chances.
• The homing instinct.
• Altruistic instincts in social animals.
• Instinct told her not to ask the question.
• The spawning instinct in salmon.
• They retain their old authoritarian instincts.

Instinct as an Adjective

Definitions of "Instinct" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “instinct” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Deeply filled or permeated.
• (followed by `with') deeply filled or permeated.
• Imbued or filled with (a quality, especially a desirable one.

Synonyms of "Instinct" as an adjective (1 Word)

replete

Filled to satisfaction with food or drink. I went out into the sun drenched streets again replete and relaxed.

Usage Examples of "Instinct" as an adjective

• Words instinct with love.
• These canvases are instinct with passion.

Associations of "Instinct" (30 Words)

adoptee	Someone (such as a child) who has been adopted.
antenatal	Occurring or existing before birth. Antenatal care.
born	British nuclear physicist born in Germany honored for his contributions to quantum mechanics 1882 1970. A born musician.
congenital	(of a disease or physical abnormality) present from birth. A congenital liar.
distaff	A stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning. Marriage is still the passport to distaff power.
feminine	A feminine word or form. The snowdrops gave a feminine touch to the table.
genetically	In a way that relates to origin or development. Language varieties that are genetically related.
hereditary	Relating to inheritance. Either hereditary or environmental factors.
inborn	Present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development. An inborn defect in the formation of collagen.
inherence	The state of inhering; the state of being a fixed characteristic. The inherence of polysemy in human language.
inherent	Vested in someone as a right or privilege. Shortcomings inherent in our approach.
innate	Being talented through inherited qualities. An innate talent.
intrinsic	Belonging to a thing by its very nature. Intrinsic muscles.
intuition	An impression that something might be the case. He had an intuition that something had gone wrong.
maternal	Relating to a mother, especially during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. Warm maternal affection for her guest.
matriarch	A feisty older woman with a big bosom (as drawn in cartoons. A domineering matriarch.
mother	Care for like a mother. She didn t know how to mother my brother and he was very sensitive.
mutual	A mutual building society or insurance company. Scottish Amicable may switch from mutual to plc status.
nascent	(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential. The nascent chicks.
natal	A port city in northeastern Brazil. He was living in the south many miles from his natal city.
native	Used in names of animals or plants resembling others familiar elsewhere e g native bee. The marigold is a native of southern Europe.
parent	Be or act as a parent to a child. Stems will root down creating a new crown near the parent.
parental	Denoting an organization or company which owns or controls a number of subsidiaries. Parental guidance.
paternal	Belonging to or inherited from one’s father. His father and paternal grandfather were porcelain painters.
paternity	Paternal origin. Tests were conducted to determine paternity.
pregnancy	The condition or period of being pregnant. A straightforward pregnancy.
prenatal	Before birth; during or relating to pregnancy. The prenatal period.
uncle	A source of help and advice and encouragement. He visited his uncle.
visceral	Relating to or affecting the viscera. The visceral nervous system.