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, like his techniques, are relentlessly up-to-the-minute; Orsolya is hounded by not only her guilty conscience but also the demons of social media.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Martins used his political instincts, his relationships and his credibility to bring together the tourism community, city leaders and county officials.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Tracker, based on the bestselling novel The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver, stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who driven by the troubles of his past, uses his instincts to find the missing and collect rewards.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Jair Rocha has developed solid instincts about what Treasure Valley diners love.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
As a former player, Suzuki will trust his instincts.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
For Many Korean Creators, Hollywood Was Already Home Part of what has made K-culture’s American breakthrough so seamless is that so much of it is now made by Americans — Korean Americans who grew up with a foot in both worlds and the instincts to navigate between them.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Stay cautious when meeting people online—choose public places, trust your instincts, and report suspicious activity to 911.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The names and parties change, but the instincts remain.
—Jacob Lane The Chicago Tribune, Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Martins used his political instincts, his relationships and his credibility to bring together the tourism community, city leaders and county officials.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
Tracker, based on the bestselling novel The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver, stars Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw, a lone-wolf survivalist who driven by the troubles of his past, uses his instincts to find the missing and collect rewards.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
Jair Rocha has developed solid instincts about what Treasure Valley diners love.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Mar. 2026
As a former player, Suzuki will trust his instincts.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
For Many Korean Creators, Hollywood Was Already Home Part of what has made K-culture’s American breakthrough so seamless is that so much of it is now made by Americans — Korean Americans who grew up with a foot in both worlds and the instincts to navigate between them.
—Dan Bilefsky, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Stay cautious when meeting people online—choose public places, trust your instincts, and report suspicious activity to 911.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
The names and parties change, but the instincts remain.
—Jacob Lane The Chicago Tribune, Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
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The music business’ macho and misogynistic tendencies had reached a peak in 1987.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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By layering indicators such as travel habits, purchase footprints, and neighborhood retail tendencies, Vado builds rooftop-level consumer profiles that may help advertisers identify areas with promising engagement patterns.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In most situations — including both work and school situations — the demands of what comes next builds upon the skills that the prior assignment was designed to teach you, and the problem-solving abilities that were intended to grow inside of you.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free in-person tax preparation to individuals with an income of $67,000 or less, who have disabilities or with limited English skills.—
Brian Sloan,Dan Avery,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This is the standard for ramp inclinations that are usable for most people, especially wheelchair users.—
K. Desbouis,
Artforum,
6 Feb. 2026
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Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As a result, the franchise is caught between the competing impulses to preserve its legacy as a romantic ideal and to modernize itself for an audience that no longer believes in that mirage — resulting, most recently, in a casting that was doomed to fail on all fronts.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
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However, emotional impulses to act are not enough to justify war.—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But white settlers found their stubborn dispositions too unruly for domestication and their big bodies too tempting a commodity.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
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The solstice will occur on March 20, bringing with it longer, warmer days, blooming flowers, and overall happier dispositions.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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