as in tendencies
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 instincts
His instincts proved prescient.
—
Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Preston is a threatening creator with good offensive instincts who played to just under a point per game in the WHL before this season.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 3 June 2026
His instincts aren’t so much recklessness as a willingness to act on conviction and let smart people and favorable terms do the work.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Mayor Johnson’s instincts — investment over punishment, community first, these are children, not enemies — are right.
—Desmon Yancy, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Because pets lack the natural instincts to survive in the wild, this practice frequently exposes them to starvation, extreme weather, vehicle accidents or fatal attacks by wildlife.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
And despite the five-year time jump between Season Two and Season Three, Euphoria’s tentpole characters remained mired in the same troubles and destructive instincts that marred their high school days.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026
Use your instincts to strike a bargain.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 1 June 2026
The same instincts that got you here feel less reliable.
—Yann Dang, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Preston is a threatening creator with good offensive instincts who played to just under a point per game in the WHL before this season.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 3 June 2026
His instincts aren’t so much recklessness as a willingness to act on conviction and let smart people and favorable terms do the work.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Mayor Johnson’s instincts — investment over punishment, community first, these are children, not enemies — are right.
—Desmon Yancy, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Because pets lack the natural instincts to survive in the wild, this practice frequently exposes them to starvation, extreme weather, vehicle accidents or fatal attacks by wildlife.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
And despite the five-year time jump between Season Two and Season Three, Euphoria’s tentpole characters remained mired in the same troubles and destructive instincts that marred their high school days.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026
Use your instincts to strike a bargain.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 1 June 2026
The same instincts that got you here feel less reliable.
—Yann Dang, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
-
The next major point of interest is the punchy, barely contained synth bass that eats up much of the mix, but even that is pulling from a predictable arsenal of Max Martin tendencies.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
Even so, there is a real responsibility on the introverted leader to understand how their natural tendencies land with the people around them and how to be most effective within that awareness.—
Bill Koch,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
The Bawah Anambas Foundation works with local communities to combat destructive fishing techniques, focusing on reforestation and offering skills training.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Fiverr Pro has witnessed a massive spike in demand for people with skills in AI development and workflow orchestration tools.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Born to a humble family in the twilight years of the shogunate, Higuchi Natsuko (as she was born) was the fourth child and second daughter of a man with scholarly inclinations, who as a farmer had come to the capital to seek both fortune and rank.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Over the last week or so, the four satellites adjusted their inclinations—the angles of their orbits to the equator—by less than a degree.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Now his eponymous impulses have expanded to the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.—
Cleve R. Wootson Jr,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
The longer the process dragged on, the more the competing impulses pulled him in different directions.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
David Yannetti, representing Officer Nicholas O’Malley, 33, has filed a slew of discovery motions in the case — requesting records of King’s complete criminal history, including all arrests, charges, dispositions, and pending matters from any jurisdiction.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
13 May 2026
-
Deputies will document all referrals and dispositions so the department can track how often services are offered, what resources are utilized and whether those efforts are producing measurable results.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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