as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision
the birds' instinctual response is to fly away when startled
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Recent Examples of instinctual
There is an instinctual thing — an unspoken and not really understood connection there.
—
Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Maybe this instinctual allure is why waiting lists for allotments have doubled and tripled in the past decade.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
The former five-star recruit is big (6-3, 238), instinctual, and features impressive lateral quickness and movement skills.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More than a decade later, their chemistry is best described by Murray as telepathic, intellectual, instinctual.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Collectively, love becomes more instinctual and self-led.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
When Mike sees Holly (Nell Fisher) take over his D&D table, his instinctual protectiveness, even jealousy, soon fades to pride.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Jan. 2026
Because this reaction is instinctual, training a dog to ignore small animals can be hard.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
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
Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Maybe this instinctual allure is why waiting lists for allotments have doubled and tripled in the past decade.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
The former five-star recruit is big (6-3, 238), instinctual, and features impressive lateral quickness and movement skills.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More than a decade later, their chemistry is best described by Murray as telepathic, intellectual, instinctual.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Collectively, love becomes more instinctual and self-led.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
When Mike sees Holly (Nell Fisher) take over his D&D table, his instinctual protectiveness, even jealousy, soon fades to pride.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Jan. 2026
Because this reaction is instinctual, training a dog to ignore small animals can be hard.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctual
Adjective
-
But Gabriel Pec was tagged with a second yellow card four minutes later and forced to exit after being shown the automatic red card.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile Fairfield and Quinnipiac, both 19-1, are battling for the MAAC’s automatic tournament bid.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Flying the morning of an important presentation may not raise any obvious red flags, but that tight scheduling leaves no margin for unexpected obstacles, like weather events or mechanical issues.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump’s instinctive hawkishness and abiding belief in military coercion as a solution to American problems extend well beyond Iran.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, virtual modeling and, albeit to a lesser extent, humanoid robotics are slowly breaking through the uncanny valley — our instinctive distrust of things that look and act almost like human beings but not quite.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Every time missiles fly over the Middle East, the same reflex kicks in: Traders panic, headlines scream about $100 oil, and columnists invoke the 1973 Arab oil embargo.—
Wael Mahdi,
semafor.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
There was a reflex stop on a David Kämpf flash rebound in the second period.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Everybody to Kenmure Street charts the events of the spontaneous community protest on Glasgow’s Kenmure Street, when hundreds united to stop the deportation of their neighbours.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The Bottom Line A spontaneous spring break trip is more doable than many travelers assume.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, mechanic Fausto Oppici is in the back seat, a cooler of water bottles at his feet and five spare wheels next to him.—
Andy McGrath,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The stranger told him about airframe and power plant mechanic school.—
Wilborn P. Nobles III,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Betts thought all the assistive tools and apps on the market sounded too robotic.—
Meghan Schiller,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The robotic arm, known as Canadarm, was used to deploy, maneuver, and capture payloads for the astronauts.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Garry Moore, 66, pleaded guilty in January to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, under sudden heat.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instinctual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctual. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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