insight

[ in-sahyt ]

noun

1. an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, especially through intuitive understanding:

   an insight into 18th-century life.

2. penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.

   Synonyms: grasp, understanding, intuition, apprehension, perception

3. Psychology.
   1. an understanding of relationships that sheds light on or helps solve a problem.
   2. (in psychotherapy) the recognition of sources of emotional difficulty.
   3. an understanding of the motivational forces behind one's actions, thoughts, or behavior; self-knowledge.

insight

/ ˈɪnˌsaɪt /

noun

1. the ability to perceive clearly or deeply; penetration
2. a penetrating and often sudden understanding, as of a complex situation or problem
3. psychol
   1. the capacity for understanding one's own or another's mental processes
   2. the immediate understanding of the significance of an event or action
4. psychiatry the ability to understand one's own problems, sometimes used to distinguish between psychotic and neurotic disorders

Derived Forms

• ˈinˌsightful, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insight¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; in- ¹( def ) + sight ( def )

Example Sentences

He then provides some insight into his psyche - complete with Animal House reference.

From The Daily Beast

Their intentions may be good, but their execution and insight are lousy.

From The Daily Beast

“Usually being a police officer does not give you great insight into the lives of sex workers,” Wolf says.

From The Daily Beast

But fun and insight are not always mutually exclusive, certainly not here.

From The Daily Beast

These photographers are respected, indeed, but that is not in and of itself enough to provide insight about the city.

From The Daily Beast

From the very outset of his career in Spain he showed a lack of strategic insight and a want of rapidity of movement.

From Project Gutenberg

He can't corrupt you, and you couldn't get a better insight into corruption than through him; so fire away.

From Project Gutenberg

He had a form of ideal beauty, grace, and vigor, inspired by unerring wisdom and insight into futurity.

From Project Gutenberg

It was in her hour of sanity and insight that she had said virginity was the law, the indispensable condition.

From Project Gutenberg

A scene would come to him, in some moment of insight; and he would drop everything else, and follow it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acumen
• intuition
• judgment
• observation
• understanding
• vision
• wisdom