We’ve all done something and then immediately thought “why on earth did I do that?” Sometimes, our bodies just keep moving even though we stopped thinking minutes ago.
But is there a single word to describe this phenomenon?
We’ve provided 16 below, and we’ll discuss 3 of them in detail. So, read on!
Words for Doing Something Without Thinking
- Inadvertent
- Impulse
- Instinctive
- Mindless
- Unknowing
- Unwitting
- Unconscious
- Subconscious
- Reflexive
- Auto-pilot
- Automatic
- Intuitive
- Habitual
- Routine
- Muscle memory
- Conditioned response
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When your actions are “inadvertent,” this means you aren’t aware that you’re doing them.
- If your actions are completely automatic, they may be “instinctive.”
- If you act in a reckless way because you haven’t thought about the consequences, you may be acting on “impulse.”
Keep reading to see how we use our top three words for doing something without thinking in some helpful example sentences!
Inadvertent
According to the Collins Dictionary, an “inadvertent” action is “one that you do without realizing what you are doing.”
This can occur when you do something unknowingly because you aren’t paying attention.
For instance, when you take a wrong turn while walking somewhere because you are too lost in thought to consider your surroundings properly.
In such a situation, you are acting “inadvertently.” We generally use the phrase “inadvertent” to explain why a mistake occurred. As such, it tends to have fairly negative connotations.
To see what we mean, consider the examples below:
You need to be very wary of inadvertent plagiarism when you draft your dissertations.
It was an inadvertent blunder, and I hope you can forgive me.
Instinctive
When you automatically do something without considering your actions first, you may be acting “instinctively.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “Instinctive behavior or reactions are not thought about, planned, or developed by training.”
In other words, a behavior prompted by instinct is one that you and other human beings are just born with.
We all have a little code in our DNA that makes us act in certain ways to ensure our survival.
We may choose to ignore some of our more animalistic instincts now that we consider ourselves “enlightened”, but there are many automatic reactions in our bodies that we simply can’t control.
For example, when you experience pain, your “instinctive” reaction is to flinch away from the source of that pain and preserve your body. To cry when you’re sad is an instinctive reaction, as is breathing in general.
Therefore, let’s see how we can use the term “instinctive” in a couple of example sentences:
People tend to make instinctive judgments about others based on their appearance, but when combined with the flawed social stigmas we all learn, this can lead to prejudice.
Our feelings of empathy are instinctive, and our love for money is nothing more than corruption.
Impulse
When you have a sudden urge to do something and you act on that urge before giving it any serious thought, you are acting on “impulse.”
Merriam-Webster defines “impulse” as “a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action.”
We all act “impulsively” from time to time. Sometimes, you just need to buy that rad dress online before you have the chance to talk yourself out of it!
However, if you speak or act without thinking, you run the risk of doing tremendous harm to yourself and others.
After all, our first reaction to things is often our most emotional reaction. That’s why we generally choose to take time to think about things before we act.
If you act based on your initial reaction, you may end up being unnecessarily aggressive or reckless.
Moreover, if you don’t give yourself time to consider how you should act, you probably won’t consider the consequences of your actions either.
In short, think before you act! It just never hurts.
Finally, let’s see the term “impulse” in a couple of examples:
I’m sorry I took it from you, I was just acting on impulse.
I bought a new pair of golf shoes on impulse, and now I can’t afford my rent this month.