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SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

innate

adjective

Present naturally from birth or from an original state.

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.

Present without being learned

Closest synonyms

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Congenital means present at birth and does not necessarily mean inherited; innate may concern an unlearned disposition.

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CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT

See innate in use

The author contrasts an innate disposition with habits acquired through practice.
Dictionary practice example.
An innate ability in Mara's invented birds lets them count distant bell strokes from the moment they hatch, before any training.
From Tendencies That Become Habits.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

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