human instinct

collocation in English

meaningsofhumanandinstinct

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withinstinct.
human
adjective
uk
/ˈhjuː.mən/us
/ˈhjuː.mən/
being, relating to, or belonging to a person or to people as opposed ...
See more athuman
instinct
noun[C or U]
uk
/ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/us
/ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/
the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn ...
See more atinstinct

(Definition ofhumanandinstinctfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofhuman instinct

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
This concept was difficult for some to understand given that it is ahumaninstinctto want to calm a distressed baby rather than match a baby's distress.
From theCambridge English Corpus
There is a deephumaninstinctwhich nerves a man to take human life to defend his hearth and home.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The fundamentalhumaninstinctis to cling to life in all circumstances.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is ahumaninstinct, and even governments of a certain age may fall prey to it.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It may be that the acquisition of a house in which to live is a reflection of this fundamentalhumaninstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Thehumaninstinctto protect and help children is happily both strong and universal.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The case surely offends against every decenthumaninstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That may be the case, but if one knows that one is hurting people, it is a normalhumaninstinctto protect the most vulnerable.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Curiosity is a basichumaninstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Basichumaninstinctto help those most vulnerable in society is reflected in this voluntary work and in the financial contributions from so many.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Now that we are at peacehumaninstinctprompts us to succour the needy among our late enemies.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I still believe in the rule of thumb method, and inhumaninstinctand not so much in human science.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Everyhumaninstincttells us that it is the right thing to do.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is a naturalhumaninstinctto have those fears.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They are the most difficult problems of human nature andhumaninstinct, and on the answer to those questions much may depend.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These appalling incidents are enough to make the blood boil in any man who has a singlehumaninstinctleft.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Those are all natural units to which it is a reasonablehumaninstinctto want to belong.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
How can any statute ensure that the normalhumaninstinctof looking after one's future employment will not prevail?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Humaninstinctis such that we most value our possessions when we believe that a person or a force is trying to deny them to us.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
At a time when loyalties are hard to find and even harder to bestow, football remains an extraordinary repository of what is a basichumaninstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofhuman
Go to the definition ofinstinct
See other collocations withinstinct