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
The two-time team captain is a read-and-react player with excellent instincts, quickness and is disruptive against the run.
—
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025
The public constantly praises Reid for his offensive innovation and established coaching tree, but players often point to Reid’s communication and situational instincts as the unseen engine.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
And also, her maternal instincts — who knows?
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Insects, vermin, and other pests use their instincts and take advantage of the vulnerable indoor living environment.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Following her instincts, Sarah seeks out private investigators Zoë Boehm (Thompson) and her husband, Joe Silverman (Adam Godley).
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
His genius is in making films that can accommodate their oft-kilter instincts.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
The film’s more compelling moments reflect the rich uncertainty that Polly is able to mine from her new boss, whether that has to do with challenging her parental instincts, her lust for life, or even her sanity.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025
The public constantly praises Reid for his offensive innovation and established coaching tree, but players often point to Reid’s communication and situational instincts as the unseen engine.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
And also, her maternal instincts — who knows?
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Snook and Lacy, who display such sharp instincts in their best work, seem to have been directed to overact; cameras freeze on their exaggeratedly bewildered or angry or devastated expressions, putting exclamation points at the end of too many scenes.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Insects, vermin, and other pests use their instincts and take advantage of the vulnerable indoor living environment.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Following her instincts, Sarah seeks out private investigators Zoë Boehm (Thompson) and her husband, Joe Silverman (Adam Godley).
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
His genius is in making films that can accommodate their oft-kilter instincts.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
The film’s more compelling moments reflect the rich uncertainty that Polly is able to mine from her new boss, whether that has to do with challenging her parental instincts, her lust for life, or even her sanity.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
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The collaboration between certain MAGA influencers and animal-rights activists has drawn out the most confrontational tendencies within each camp.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Steed said her mother was born around the time of the 1953 raid and grew up with anti-government and, in turn, anti-vaccine tendencies.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
1 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The league also provides structured support for new players, including an orientation where participants learn the basics of soccer, from offsides to throw-ins in a pressure-free setting, and skills days that focus on different fundamental areas of soccer.—
Evan Moore
November 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
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For example, toddlers will benefit from toys that encourage them to build gross motor skills and work on early speech and literacy skills.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Lin—whose early career at Zappos and mathematical inclinations molded him into an early backer of companies like Airbnb and DoorDash—has been at Sequoia since 2010.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
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For costume designer Nicky Smith, helping Robinson and Kanin deliver on the show’s eccentric potential meant working against her natural inclinations.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But these impulses are growing within the Democratic Party as well.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Catalina’s character is exceptionally well drawn, and the subtle, fantastic elements — unanswered phone calls, a sense of an unseen presence, intuitive impulses — lend the film a distinctive, poetic identity.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, because the animals' natural habitats share some overlap and both have similarly docile dispositions, zoos often group howlers and capybaras together.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
3 Oct. 2025
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Involvement in structuring joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, activist takeover and defense, financing arrangements, and similar matters will all be considered.—
Liane Jackson,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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