instinctively
[ in-stingk-tiv-lee ]
/ ɪnˈstɪŋk tɪv li /
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adverb
in a way that is innate, unlearned, or not under conscious control:A smiling mouth raises the pitch of the voice, which is instinctively perceived as less dominant and more approachable.My few friends were often unavailable for play, so I instinctively turned to the family dog.
in a way that stems from natural insight or inclination; intuitively: The exhibits are intended to be used instinctively, and the instructions and explanations are easy to understand.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Also in·stinc·tu·al·ly .
Origin of instinctively
OTHER WORDS FROM instinctively
Words nearby instinctively
instillation, instillator, instilled, instinct, instinctive, instinctively, in stitches, institute, instituter, institutes, institution
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022