instincts

noun

plural of instinct
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.

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 instincts When Latif’s wife dies, he’s immediately forced to tamp down on the instincts that have provided for his family and wade unsteady into a world of bottles, transport, and dinner time. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026 The idea of animals as slaves of their instincts or mindless automatons evaporates. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Historically, advisory has often depended on the knowledge, instincts and sometimes even the personal relationships of individual partners. — Bas Kniphorst, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 When two-year-old Poppy is unexpectedly separated from the adult caring for her, five different dogs must overcome their instincts, and one another, to bring her safely home. — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026 For the Times) 🍴Lielle, one of Los Angeles’ most exciting fine-dining debuts, pairs Scandinavian instincts with California sensibility. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 Connection feels best when support still leaves room for your own instincts. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026 This straight-sitcom setup, with little serialization to speak of, seems to be where the show’s natural instincts lie. — Alison Herman, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 Also known as the planet of structure, discipline and limitations, the taskmaster’s journey through Aries creates friction between our instincts and restraint. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
  1. tendencies
  2. skills
  3. inclinations
  4. impulses
  5. dispositions
Noun
  • Pressure, uncertainty and stress can change the way familiar strengths and behavioral tendencies show up.
    — Paula Johnston, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As one of several players vying for time at cornerback, Auslander knew his ability to read opposing offenses’ intentions and receivers’ tendencies was critical.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of tendencies
Noun
  • Agent tech stack Other in-demand skills related to the AI build-out involve understanding tools and techniques that give agents the ability to get things done.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Developed in partnership with Discovery Education, a cross-curricular supplemental resource, the program equips students with practical clothing repair and customization skills, from sewing a button to patching a hole or tailoring a hem.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of skills
Noun
  • And a lot of the time, people who have these kinds of inclinations towards children are people who were children who were abused themselves.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The trustees feared that if something happened to him, his heir apparent, Robert Kahn, would replace him, and it was known that Kahn had Zionistic inclinations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of inclinations
Noun
  • The ability to manage one’s thoughts, regulate emotions, and restrain impulses is key to a happy and healthy life.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The impulses and outcomes of police work follow a choreographic sensibility as well.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of impulses
Noun
  • Knowledge of the enemy’s dispositions can only be obtained from other men.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier this year, Harrison Street sold a 12-property student housing portfolio for $910 million, one of the largest dispositions in the sector in recent years.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispositions

Browse Nearby Words

instinctively
instincts
instinctual
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of discreet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All