Deliberate and Instinctual

Opposite meaning words

Deliberate adjective - Decided on as a result of careful thought.

Show all Definitions

Instinctual is an antonym for deliberate.

Instinctual adjective - Done instantly and without conscious thought or decision.

Usage example: the birds' instinctual response is to fly away when startled

Show all Definitions

Deliberate is an antonym for instinctual.

Cite this Source

Instinctual and Deliberate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/deliberate/instinctual

Deliberate & Instinctual. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/deliberate/instinctual>.

Instinctual or Deliberate. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/deliberate/instinctual.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "deliberate" and "instinctual" have occurred on timeline