as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision
the instinctive reaction of a mother is to protect her children
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instinctive
The instinctive Moon joins joyous Jupiter in your 5th House of Entertainment, inviting you to say yes to a hobby that sparks delight.
—
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
All of it was evasion, an instinctive turning away from direct action on the things that matter.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Purple had long been used by her family to honor his life, and incorporating it into the bag felt instinctive.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 22 Dec. 2025
We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinctive
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
All of it was evasion, an instinctive turning away from direct action on the things that matter.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Purple had long been used by her family to honor his life, and incorporating it into the bag felt instinctive.
—Mecca Pryor, Essence, 22 Dec. 2025
We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinctive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctive
Adjective
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The battle for the Group of 5 automatic bid is wide open in Week 11.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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Say, for example, that a restaurant’s menu states that an automatic 18% charge will be added to all bills for parties of six or more customers.—
Cheryl Winokur Munk,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Products like tractors, sprayers, irrigation equipment, mechanical pickers and fertilizer will also be exempt from the tax with the new cards.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Or just a reflex mean-reversion trade in some laggard sectors at a time when the AI theme has become more fragmented and treacherous?—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
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As a result, reflex time — a mechanic that emulated the slow-motion gunfights of Hard Boiled or The Matrix, or bullet time from Remedy’s Max Payne (2001) — would be a defining aspect of F.E.A.R.’s gameplay.—
Will Borger,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While spontaneous mentions of high prices increased for a fifth month, inflation expectations eased over the longer term.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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This could look like spontaneous travel plans, shifting your career focus or even a spiritual awakening.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell used three main adjectives to describe the roster — athletic, experienced and instinctual — while empowering his coaching staff to draw out those strengths.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Cowboys could make a strong case for adding an instinctual player in the second level of their defense, and Logan Wilson is one of the most public trade candidates on the market entering the deadline.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For example, China has tested a satellite with a robotic arm that can shift other satellites into a different orbit.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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There were several such facilities at the time that were developing simulation centers with very sophisticated, six-figure robotic mannequins, on which training is done in low-stress environments for nurses, physicians and other healthcare providers.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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For example, ads for mechanic positions were predominantly shown to men, while those for preschool teacher roles were primarily directed to women.—
Carlotta Dotto,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Donegan, who is twenty-eight, grew up in small-town Virginia, in a family that owned an assortment of local businesses—a tobacco farm, a mechanic shop, an electricity company.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instinctive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctive. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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