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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of instinct
For English, being a woman has taught her to trust her instincts.
—
Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Jackson responded by shoving the fan backward into the stands out of instinct.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Broadcasters tend to have the same instincts.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Jackson responded by shoving the fan backward into the stands out of instinct.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Broadcasters tend to have the same instincts.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 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
-
With that said, his biggest flaw remains a tendency to sail throws high from the pocket.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Both injuries have significant implications for fantasy, as Jacory Croskey-Merritt is assured more touches in Washington moving forward; in Green Bay, Matthew Golden will have more chances to show his skills with Reed out in Week 3 and beyond.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Now, a rapidly changing world has little patience for those whose skills don’t swiftly evolve or adapt.—
Dr. Jonathan Reichental,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For those with time and inclination, the New York Times did an exhaustive deep dive into court battle based on thousands of pages of court filings and hearing transcripts.—
Howard Homonoff,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
No other player has a similar inclination to hold width.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rusty wanted to do something stupid, but the calming presence of Billy negated all of Rusty’s throbbing impulses.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In competitive authoritarian regimes, however, there’s a constant push and pull between democratic and autocratic impulses.—
Karrin Vasby Anderson,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dim lighting bounces off of soft pink tiles and warms the dining room, the bathrooms glow ocean blue, every inch of the space colored by the sisters’ sunny dispositions and their dedication to turning even the most low-key midweek dinner into an exercise in jubilant excess.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In fact, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy echoed that getting an MBA or having the biggest LinkedIn network might not help you in your career nearly as much as having a positive disposition.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share