as in overambitiousness
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Recent Examples of killer instinct
Savinho, who Guardiola said on Wednesday could miss up to two months with injury, and Oscar Bobb do not quite have the killer instinct in the final third yet, either.
—
Sam Lee, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
But not everyone has that same killer instinct.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Dec. 2025
One quality that distinguishes the very best chess players is killer instinct, an almost animalistic will to win.
—Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
Some in the organization have voiced the opinion that the Padres need to have more of a collective killer instinct and that getting more consistency out of some star players could help achieve that.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Sam Lee, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
But not everyone has that same killer instinct.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Dec. 2025
One quality that distinguishes the very best chess players is killer instinct, an almost animalistic will to win.
—Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
Some in the organization have voiced the opinion that the Padres need to have more of a collective killer instinct and that getting more consistency out of some star players could help achieve that.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer instinct
Noun
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Add two tablespoons of corn starch.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Cold temperatures tend to affect potatoes' texture by breaking down the starches, turning them gritty or unintentionally sweet.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Any number of other Knicks played the hero, willing the team to a gutsy victory, showing sudden grit after so many easy blowouts.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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Yet even today, the grit and determination Dede instilled in her son hasn’t left her.—
Gigi Zamora,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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She was known among her neighbors for her generosity and spunk — and among her relatives for stubborn refusal to leave Bellevue Square, her home of 54 years, The Courant reported in 1997.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
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Grossmont showed some spunk, rallying for three runs in the bottom of the inning.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Imagine having watched film of your team in 2017 and 2018, then experiencing the gumption of the 2022 champions, then seeing the 2024 squad get bounced in the Play-In by the Sacramento Kings.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
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Edward Montoya plays Fingal as an idealistic young writer, fresh out of Harvard, with little practical experience but a lot of ability and gumption.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When those practitioners are taken away from patients, our pluck and determination waver.—
Mindy Uhrlaub,
STAT,
16 Mar. 2026
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The opening guitar plucks received loads of low-mid resonance and crisp string textures, and when the track fully kicked in, each element in the busy mix got plenty of attention and detail.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Barker’s other heroes include Nathan Fielder and Tim Robinson, comics whose work contains an undeniable dark streak, and who share his prankster’s spirit and high tolerance for unease.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Vitello said postgame that Koss’ helmet cracked as a result of the bean ball, but Koss was in good spirits after the game.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Beyond core transportation infrastructure, some states also rely on revenues from fuel taxes to fund education, environmental initiatives and other public programs.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Organizations often lack the right IT or data infrastructure, and the testing and resiliency requirements for a company-wide implementation are far more complex than those for an isolated initiative.—
Paul Goydan,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The Trade Over Aid initiative attempts to reorient American engagement toward self-reliance and away from dependency, which are laudable goals.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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Though the financing has eased some of the pressure, analysts have warned that no quick fixes exist for Egypt’s import dependency, forcing Cairo to turn to Chinese green tech to boost long-term renewable energy production and self-reliance.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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