The word “insight” is a common word used by a lot of people. Although it is often misused due to the lack of knowledge of the word. You must know how to write correctly and what words to use in a sentence to pass the correct message to the reader. We will dive into the proper way to use the word “insight” in a sentence.
The word “insight” refers to the act or power of seeing into situations or having the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding or knowledge of something or someone. An example of the use of the word “insight” is her books provided us with a new insight into romance and comedy.
While it might seem pretty easy to use the word, there are still some complications you might encounter when using the word. A detailed explanation of the proper use of the word will be provided. So, you don’t have to worry, this article covers everything you need to know about the word “insight”.
What Does The Word “Insight” Mean?
One of the reasons people misuse words in a sentence is they do not have an understanding of the word. Knowing the meaning of a word before using it is very vital and necessary when writing.
For you to communicate effectively and make your writing easy to read and understand, you have to know the meaning, the origin, the nature, the synonyms, and the antonyms of the word “insight”. This is the assurance you have to use it accurately.
Now, we will look into the origin of the word “insight”.
The word “insight” is gotten from the Middle English word “insiht” meaning “insight,” “mental vision,” “intelligence,” and “understanding”, from in- + sight, “siht” meaning “sight or vision,” or from the Old English word “insiht”.
We have established the origin or etymology of the word “insight”, we will move further by looking into the meaning of the word.
The word “insight” generally refers to having a deep, clear and sometimes sudden understanding of a complex situation or problem. It also means a clear understanding of the inner nature of some specific things.
It means sight or view of the interior of anything; a deep inspection or view; to perceive clearly or deeply. The word “insight” means a strong mental discernment or vision of a situation or a person, especially by intuition.
It also refers to an extended understanding of a subject resulting from the identification of behaviors and relationships within a context or scenario.
To have an “insight” means there is a thought, emotion, or feeling that helps you to understand something essential about a thing or person.
According to medical terms, the word “insight” refers to an awareness by a mentally ill person that their mental experiences are not based on external reality.
Moving forward, we will be discussing the synonyms (nearest or similar in meaning) and antonyms (opposite in meaning) of the word “insight”.
The synonyms of the word “insight” include:
- Intuition
- Understanding
- Apprehension
- Discernment
- Vision
- Perception
- Wisdom
- Awareness
- Comprehension
- Recognition
- Realization
- Eye-opener
- Acumen
- Sagaciousness
- Penetration
- Enlightenment
- Observation
- Sapience
- Sixth Sense
- Sagacity
- Grasp
- Instinct
- Intelligence
- Knowledge
- Cognizance
- Sharpness
- Prescience
- Horse Sense
- Brainstorm
The antonyms of the word “insight” are:
- Ignorance
- Misunderstanding
- Stupidity
- Idiocy
- Unawareness
- Obliviousness
- Ineptness
- Cluelessness
- Illiteracy
- Unfamiliarity
- Density
- Imbecility
- Foolishness
- Dullness
- Witless
- Dullness
- Folly
- Absurdity
- Mindlessness
- Preposterousness
- Lack Of Knowledge
- Illogic
- Unreasonable
- Craziness
- Senseless
- Irrational
- Simpleminded
- Silliness
- Misperceiving
- Brainless
Next, we will look at the nature of the word “insight”, the role it plays in a sentence, and the part of speech it is categorized under. The nature of a word refers to the form that the word takes, in this case, the word “insight”. We are also referring to the role the word plays in a sentence.
The word “insight” is a noun. It is an abstract noun, which means it can not be seen or touched. It is referred to as an idea or concept rather than a physical object. It is used to refer to an understanding of what something is like.
How To Properly Use “Insight” In A Sentence
Having gotten a proper understanding of the meaning, the origin, the synonyms, the antonyms, and the nature of the word “insight”, you should be able to use the word correctly in a sentence.
The word “insight” is used when referring to the ability to have an understanding of people and situations in a very clear way. It also refers to an understanding of the true nature of something.
When using the word “insight” in a sentence, you must remember that the word insight is majorly used when you have a deep and clear understanding of something or someone.
The word “insight” is usually used to replace the phrase “deep understanding” or “more clarity” in a sentence. When you gain “insight” on something, it means you are using your intuition, so the word means “seeing inwards.”
You cannot use “insight” and “incite” interchangeably since they have different meanings even though they are homophones. “Insight” which is a noun means a feeling of understanding, having a clear or deep perception of a situation, while “incite” which is a verb means to stimulate action, to rouse, to stir up, to encourage, to urge or persuade someone to act violently or unlawfully.
The word “insight” is generally a noun. When you want the word “insight” to function as an adjective in a sentence, it becomes “insightful”. When you want it to function as a verb, it becomes “sight”.
Paying attention to these simple procedures will assure you a correct usage of the word “insight” in a sentence.
Illustrative Examples on how to use the word “Insight”
We have explained all that you need to know about the correct use of the word “insight” in a sentence. But for you to clearly understand the previous discussion, here are some examples that illustrate the use of the word “insight” in a sentence.
- When he started complaining about Martha and her mother, Katie took the responsibility of providing him with an insight into how Martha and her mother felt about the situation.
- At first, when our lecturer gave us the assignment to write an essay about living in the ’80s, I was not happy about it, but after my research, I began to appreciate technology as I had an insight into what life without technology looks like.
- I never believed in fortune-telling until I met a fortune teller that told me about my past and gave me an insight into my future.
- He was never able to comprehend how a woman thinks until after he got married, living with his wife gave him an insight into women’s mindset and way of thinking.
- Reading this novel gave me a fascinating insight into the Chinese, their beliefs, traditions, how they live, think, and speak.
- During the party primaries, the fight for leadership gave the party governor an insight into the group’s dynamics.
- I used to think journalism was a waste of time until I worked as an intern for a journalist, working with a journalist gave me a clear insight into what journalism is all about.
- After reading the article he wrote on the economic crisis in the world, I concluded he is an amazing writer as his article gave an insight into what is happening in other countries that I never knew of.
- After the teacher gave a serious explanation on the topic, only a few students got an insight on what the topic is all about, the rest were still confused.
- I had always condemned my neighbor because his children were badly trained, but when I had my child, I had a clearer insight into training children.
- Reading the recommended literature of my class gave me a clear discernment of the dangers of the ascetic life, and a deep insight into the significance of the Augustinian doctrine of grace.
- I told Tim to ask Grace about the assignment since he was having difficulties, I thought she might be able to provide him an insight on the topic, sadly she was unable to do so.
- The feedback service on eBay allows you to read the comments of other customers before purchasing a product which provides you with useful insight.
- I advised Tony to visit Elizabeth as she might have insight into the specific needs of his dog seeing she works at the veterinary hospital.
- Seeing as he was liable to make wrong decisions, visiting a counselor provided him with an insight on what to do.
- Jon had a rare gift of insight, he was able to understand and communicate with animals.
From the various examples given, you will notice that the word “insight” describes the ability to have a full and deep understanding of something.
Final Thoughts
As we reach the end of this article it is safe to say you have gained much “insight” both literally and on how to use this word.
You no longer have to be confused when you come across the word “insight”. This article has you covered and all there is to do at this point is to continue the learning experience by putting it to practice. We trust it will go well. Enjoy!
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.