instinctively en · ADV
Pronunciation
- /ɪnˈstɪŋktɪvli/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English instinctive Middle English -ly English -ly English instinctively From instinctive + -ly.
Meanings
-
Innately; by instinct; without being taught.
She loved him so passionately, and he was so godlike in her eyes; and being, though untrained, instinctively refined, her nature cried for his tutelary guidance.
1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 26:Fish instinctively know how to swim; most humans don't.
'I am, perhaps, overgreedy, but I sense a good cook instinctively.'
1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 9, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 270:While Conservative and Labour MPs instinctively had deep political differences, they were united in the cold view that at the end of the 1950s, Britain's railways were friendless and almost finished.
2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 50:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most instinctively | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more instinctively | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (14)
ar غريزيًا (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · pl instynktownie (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · hu ösztönösen (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · it istintivamente (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · nl instinctief (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · ca instintivament (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · fi vaistonvaraisesti (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · fi vaistomaisesti (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · de unwillkürlich (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · el ενστικτωδώς (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · fr instinctivement (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · es instintivamente (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · ru инстинктивно (innately, by instinct, without being taught) · sv instinktivt (innately, by instinct, without being taught)