How to Use instinct in a Sentence

instinct

1 of 2 noun
  • He knew by instinct what not to say.
  • Our first instinct was to run.
  • She seemed to know by instinct that something was wrong.
  • Mere instinct alerted her to the danger.
  • He has a strong survival instinct.
  • Seeing the baby aroused all her maternal instincts.
  • He has been guided throughout his career by his political instincts.
  • Cats possess a natural hunting instinct.
  • But Besson wants off the leash and his instincts lead him astray.
    Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
  • In that case, their prey instinct tells them to move away.
    Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
  • At times her instincts led to conflicts with the staff.
    Kriston Capps, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2023
  • Also, the movie knows when to ease up on the wisenheimer instinct.
    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
  • Her instinct, as portrayed in the first episode, is to kill Will for what he’s done.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023
  • The instinct, for nearly everyone, is to get out of the way.
    Matt Martell, New York Times, 11 June 2023
  • In terms of Josh, his instinct for the character of Mike was so spot-on.
    Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2023
  • If the water doesn’t look or smell right, trust your instinct.
    Primrose Freestone, CNN, 17 Apr. 2023
  • But the instinct to keep it close to the vest is understandable.
    Marc Silver, NPR, 30 Mar. 2024
  • When Paramount+ expands ads in a few months, his instincts will have been proven right.
    Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Putin has the option, and perhaps the instinct, to bring Prigozhin back into the fold (and out of Belarus).
    Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
  • Plotts don’t have enough nose, and the 30 or so Kibler has owned over the years were weak in homing instinct.
    Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 1 Feb. 2024
  • Don’t fall for their tricks, and always trust your instincts.
    Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
  • Her instinct — the same thing that propelled her from the state Senate to Congress — was to fight.
    Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2023
  • Bennetts, who's been on the force two years, said training and instinct took over.
    Hilary Shenfeld, Peoplemag, 19 Jan. 2024
  • Yet the instinct to stay close to their roots stopped them leaving until now.
    Guy Davies, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2023
  • So my first instinct was to try to go after somebody. ...
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024
  • The instinct to duck, to cover their faces with hands (like that could make a difference!
    Hazlitt, 24 Jan. 2024
  • My instinct is to get along, to compromise, and to find common ground.
    Jay Cost, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
  • But Harry’s gut instincts about Mitch turned out to be justified, to say the least.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2023
  • Their pairing sets off a series of events that force Snow to battle his instincts for good and evil.
    Caroline Brew, Variety, 18 Dec. 2023
  • Colette, though, acting on instinct more than habit, was insistent.
    Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2024
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instinct

2 of 2 adjective
  • Stock some cranks that run at 3 to 5 feet deep and others that dig deeper and ricochet off rocks and logs to incite instinct strikes.
    Gerald Almy, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2023
  • But when the inevitable suddenly happens, instinct still kicks in: This can’t be real.
    James Poniewozik, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
  • Mr. Hickenlooper’s denouncement could serve to highlight for Mrs. Clinton’s team his instinct to battle the rival nominee, an important role that vice-presidential candidates play for the top of the ticket.
    Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 17 June 2016
  • This is hotly debated among scientists and scholars, particularly the instinct part.
    John Blake, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023
  • Annalise Caron, a clinical psychologist who runs an initiative dedicated to parenting, understands the instinct parents have to seek community.
    Fortesa Latifi, Washington Post, 11 May 2023
  • Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press Pastrnak called it instinct.
    Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023
  • Stock some cranks that run at 3 to 5 feet deep and others that dig deeper and ricochet off rocks and logs to incite instinct strikes.
    Gerald Almy, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2023
  • But when the inevitable suddenly happens, instinct still kicks in: This can’t be real.
    James Poniewozik, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
  • Mr. Hickenlooper’s denouncement could serve to highlight for Mrs. Clinton’s team his instinct to battle the rival nominee, an important role that vice-presidential candidates play for the top of the ticket.
    Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 17 June 2016
  • This is hotly debated among scientists and scholars, particularly the instinct part.
    John Blake, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023
  • Annalise Caron, a clinical psychologist who runs an initiative dedicated to parenting, understands the instinct parents have to seek community.
    Fortesa Latifi, Washington Post, 11 May 2023
  • Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press Pastrnak called it instinct.
    Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'instinct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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