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Glite Dictionary
to run with instincts

to run with instincts

7.7
To follow your natural feelings when making a decision
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : seguir la intuición
  • She decided to run with her instincts and accepted the job offer.

Examples

  • Sometimes it's best to run with your instincts when facing tough choices.

  • Great leaders often run with their instincts to make bold decisions.

  • She always runs with instincts when making decisions.

  • It's important to run with instincts sometimes.

  • Great leaders often run with their instincts to make bold decisions.

  • She decided to run with her instincts and accepted the job offer.

  • Sometimes it's best to run with your instincts when facing tough choices.

Synonyms

to fly by the seat of your pants
vsto run with instincts
  • Informal
3 8.5

To make quick decisions without a plan

means following intuition deliberately rather than just improvising
to go with one's gut
vsto run with instincts
  • Informal
1 7.2

To follow your first feeling without thinking much

is about following inner sense rather than logical analysis
to go with one's first instinct
vsto run with instincts
  • Informal
1 5.3

Decide using your first feeling instead of thinking too much

focuses on following natural feeling generally, not only first reactions
to trust your hunch
vsto run with instincts
6.5

Act on a feeling that something is right without checking facts

emphasizes trusting natural feeling rather than proof

Antonyms

to analyze
  • US
675 3.2

To study something carefully to understand it better

to overthink
33 4.9

To think about something too much so you cannot decide or act

How Intuitive

to run with instincts
7.7
to analyze
  • US
675 3.2
to think it through
  • Informal
105 3.2

Surface Forms

run with instincts infinitive
ran with instincts past
run with instincts past participle
running with instincts present participle
runs with instincts third person singular

Morphology

run + with + instinct

The meaning 'to follow one’s intuition' is partly derivable from the constituents: 'run' (act/show a tendency) + 'with' (accompanied by) + 'instincts' (intuition) yields 'act accompanied by instincts'. However, the specific collocation 'run with instincts' is less canonical than alternatives like 'go with your instincts' or 'run on instinct', so a B1 learner who knows the words might guess the sense but could be uncertain due to the non‑standard phrasing.

Etymology

Run with instincts comes from the image of an animal that must run and trust its instincts, not stopping to think but acting on a quick inner feeling. So it now means 'to follow your inner feeling' when you make a choice.