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
Gruda has sometimes been used on the right flank, but playing more centrally as the No 10 suits his creative instincts.
—
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Attending the parade was perhaps an act of instinct for Roger Schaeffer, who has watched the festivities for three decades.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
In an age of climate anxiety, economic precarity and burnout, the instinct to scale back shouldn’t be confused with giving up.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Alma questions her for a moment, because the man being accused is her close friend, but even her slight skeptical instinct is greeted by Maggie as a potential betrayal.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Andy Naylor, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Attending the parade was perhaps an act of instinct for Roger Schaeffer, who has watched the festivities for three decades.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
In an age of climate anxiety, economic precarity and burnout, the instinct to scale back shouldn’t be confused with giving up.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
Alma questions her for a moment, because the man being accused is her close friend, but even her slight skeptical instinct is greeted by Maggie as a potential betrayal.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
-
Nowadays people see small images on their phones so there’s a tendency to crop in on everything.—
Adam Morganstern,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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With that said, his biggest flaw remains a tendency to sail throws high from the pocket.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Martin’s energy onstage always skyrockets and his performance skills are undiminished.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Alfons Freij is a mobile defenceman with enough puck skill to impress, but whose decision-making needs improvement before being considered an NHL player.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Kinloch noted the Legislature has shown no inclination to advance bills that create arena taxes.—
Malachi Barrett,
Freep.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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Vesting oversight primarily in defense departments and ministries is a traditional inclination.—
GARY ROUGHEAD,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The creative impulse is an impulse against death.—
Leila Chatti
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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But the board’s failure to probe more deeply transforms an understandable impulse into a sin of commission.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The appellate court must decide if it will be decided in a summary disposition, whether briefs will be submitted either with or without oral arguments, or whether the case should be certified to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for consideration, which is considered rare.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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What’s evident is that Elizabeth shares a disposition with her satirical father.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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