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
Officials suggested that Inky was not necessarily trying to flee poor conditions but rather acting on instinct and exploration.
—
Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Later, Bill from True Blood tells Jol that his instincts about the investment were right.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Looking back, Kristen hopes sharing Miley's story will encourage other parents to trust their instincts.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Later, Bill from True Blood tells Jol that his instincts about the investment were right.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Looking back, Kristen hopes sharing Miley's story will encourage other parents to trust their instincts.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Sickert is showcased here for both his impressionistic instincts and his portrayal of previously taboo art subjects such as prostitutes and the impoverished.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
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Kormákur is an Icelandic filmmaker whose breakout was the 2006 crime drama Jar City and who has a tendency to bounce around both genres and continents.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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In 2024, Julie Aitken Schermer, a psychology professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, published a paper that showed drivers who modified their exhaust systems to be louder were more likely to have psychopathic and sadist tendencies.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This enthusiasm for space and executive leadership skills could be the right combination to get the Artemis program back on a schedule.—
Thomas Black,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Tate is a technician with good length and ball skills to finish plays.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And yes, Rick and Emily, huge allies, love working with them, no inclination of wanting to turn on them.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
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Lawlor’s book contains chapters devoted to politics, but her inclination to reach for examples of the reasonable and unreasonable that any reader will intuitively share serves her less well here.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While Siegel and others seem to want more teen pregnancies, Steiner argues that efforts to reduce teen births are often borne from the same impulse.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
20 Apr. 2026
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This is also true in the Christian world, where the impulse to use your hands has a distinct theological flavor to it.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His next court appearance is his disposition hearing on April 30.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Olvin Carcamo-Meza, 19, pleaded guilty during a Tuesday afternoon disposition hearing to two counts of first-degree assault, a felony, and two violent crime sentence enhancers, according to Arapahoe County court records.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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