instinct

noun

Definition of instinctnext
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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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 Vildor showed great instincts in the first quarter, leaving his wide receiver to drive downhill as quarterback Anthony Richardson locked onto a target in the flat. — Chad Graff, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Because we’re all wired differently, Magsamen recommends following your instincts. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026 Wilde’s public identity carries Arab roots, Western ambition, fashion, entertainment and a pop-culture instinct that moves quickly. — Advertorial, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026 Mercury and Uranus’ connection today suggests that your gut instinct is the correct one. — Usa Today, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
  1. tendency
  2. skill
  3. inclination
  4. impulse
  5. disposition
Noun
  • Emery knows that his side are robust when battling adversity yet need to find a way to rectify blind spots in their game, such as the tendency to drift through certain matches and against specific tactical challenges.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Catholics have frequently exemplified the best and worst tendencies of American society.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of tendency
Noun
  • Could similar skills transform the electoral process and make remote voting feasible in wartime?
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov give the Flyers two premium wingers with tremendous skill and sense.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of skill
Noun
  • The ultimate challenge is winning backing from rural states and from Republicans with little inclination to lift a finger for left-leaning Hollywood.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • While your first inclination might be to use a face or body scrub, dermatologists recommend a gentle moisturizer packed with rich emollients and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).
    — Mary Honkus, Glamour, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inclination
Noun
  • The significance of that approach lies in what happens when leaders resist the impulse to demonstrate their expertise.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Initially, diplomats assigned to the region sought to counter Bukele’s growing influence by sharply denouncing his anti-democratic impulses.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of impulse
Noun
  • Gini, an agronomist who has overseen the planting of some two hundred thousand trees in Parco Nord in the past quarter century, has the tan skin, strong hands, and hearty disposition that are requisite for the job.
    — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The state's Clean Slate legislation addresses the criminal records system itself, including procedures for identifying missing dispositions and correcting incomplete criminal history information.
    — Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of disposition

Browse Nearby Words

instills
instinct
instinctive
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Cite this Entry

“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on instinct

Nglish: Translation of instinct for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about instinct

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