insight

American  

[in-sahyt] / ˈɪnˌsaɪt /

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.

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insight British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• insightful adjective

Etymology

Origin of insight

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

Example Sentences

The New York Fed’s latest quarterly report on household debt and credit gives us a little more insight on how consumer balance sheets are doing.

From Barron's

The New York Fed’s latest quarterly report on household debt and credit gives us a little more insight on how consumer balance sheets are doing.

From Barron's

The GPS collar will provide researchers with insights into the seasonal movements and daily lives of the Sierra Nevada red fox, which can in turn help guide conservation strategies.

From Los Angeles Times

Find insight on gold and silver futures, European chemical companies and more in the latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials.

From The Wall Street Journal

Here are some insights from experts about what to look for.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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