as in tendency
a usually innate ability or desire to perform a specific activity
Pouncing on mice is a cat's natural instinct. We needed all of our survival instincts to make it through the weeks lost at sea.
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Recent Examples of instinct
Wood explained that speaking out on her feelings about the sketch was about resisting the instinct to shrink herself.
—
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
And so my gut instincts were right.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
For Garner, footy is a bridge between the naturally martial instincts of men and the peace upon which rational civilization depends.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
His football instincts, anticipating movement, reading energy, now help guide his photography.
—John Armwood Iii, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
And so my gut instincts were right.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
For Garner, footy is a bridge between the naturally martial instincts of men and the peace upon which rational civilization depends.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
His football instincts, anticipating movement, reading energy, now help guide his photography.
—John Armwood Iii, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
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One of the issues Bayandir had had this season is his tendency to not parry the ball to the sides.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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However, leaders can have a tendency to try to optimize inefficient processes with shiny new tech instead of questioning their existence.—
Mike Hoffman,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The three appointment-only tastings available showcase the award-winning skill of winemaker Christopher Carpenter, who has worked there since 1998.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
28 Sep. 2025
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Sax worked tirelessly on his baseball craft, growing from a 5-foot-3, 105-pound high school freshman into a brick, relentlessly honing his skills and driven by the the fear that his career could be over in a flash.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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LaCombe, who played forward in his youth, has shown great improvement in his own end but still has the offensive inclinations to be a point producer.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Redford also shared that despite his inclination to public service, his ambitions were not political.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Austin said she's come around to people, but still has an impulse to run away.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
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Verdi’s Otello isn’t Shakespeare’s Othello but a cauldron that alchemizes ugly impulses into irresistible beauty.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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The months that followed revealed the hollowness of this order, which was so clearly at odds with the President’s own disposition.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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