Instinctual and Willed

Instinctual

Instinctual adjective - Done instantly and without conscious thought or decision.
Usage example: the birds' instinctual response is to fly away when startled

Willed is an antonym for instinctual.

Willed

Willed adjective - Made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing.

Instinctual is an antonym for willed.

Nearby Words: willing, willful
Cite this Source
Willed and Instinctual. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/instinctual/willed
Instinctual & Willed. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/instinctual/willed>.
Willed or Instinctual. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/instinctual/willed.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "instinctual" and "willed" have occurred on timeline