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

Other Word Forms

• insightful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insight¹

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

Example Sentences

Prediction markets provide useful insights that can be used by decision makers, including investors, executives and policy makers.

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A recent study has started to provide that missing insight.

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Social media gives individuals a megaphone in disputes with companies that treat them poorly, while executives use it for consumer insights, customer service and marketing.

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This additional responsibility helps explain why the absence of HSL results in lipodystrophy, and it offers new insights into metabolic disorders such as obesity and related health complications.

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Find insight on U.S. oil production, oil futures and more in the latest Market Talks covering Energy and Utilities.

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Related Words

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