as in overambitiousness
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Recent Examples of killer instinct
That's down to gardener Harper Starling who protects her home with her killer instincts — literally.
—
Lizz Schumer, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
But the staging of the fight is awkward, and seems to be going out of its way to protect Wendy, who’s super strong and fast yet doesn’t have any training (nor the killer instincts of her opponent).
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
Could Rhodes muster up some killer instinct to put Cena away?
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2025
With a mop of long brown hair and a baby face belying a killer instinct that soon would be seen across the college football world, 18-year-old Kellen Moore would sit without saying a word in the Boise State quarterback meetings.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Lizz Schumer, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
But the staging of the fight is awkward, and seems to be going out of its way to protect Wendy, who’s super strong and fast yet doesn’t have any training (nor the killer instincts of her opponent).
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
Could Rhodes muster up some killer instinct to put Cena away?
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2025
With a mop of long brown hair and a baby face belying a killer instinct that soon would be seen across the college football world, 18-year-old Kellen Moore would sit without saying a word in the Boise State quarterback meetings.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer instinct
Noun
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Better Balanced Blood Sugar The fermentation process used to make sourdough produces organic acids, such as lactic and acetic acids, which help slow the absorption of starch in the digestive tract.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Nov. 2025
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In the era before food stamps, that meant making decisions that now seem unconscionable: A 1954 survey of pregnant Black women in Louisiana found that 38 percent were eating laundry starch to satiate their hunger; 25 percent reported eating clay.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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First and foremost, just the grit in our guys and in our group to keep a battling against a team that was moving the ball well.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
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With passion, perseverance and, yes, grit.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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People on TikTok were taken by Reagan's sudden spunk.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
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Howard preferred simmer to boil, sugar to sass, and never lacked spunk.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
16 July 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, opponents of zero-defect culture question whether officers who survive in today’s system have the gumption and risk-taking instincts to win the next big war.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
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Fitzgerald’s gumption as a deep field-goal kicker was tested with the Panthers up, 7-0, and having all the momentum.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Luckily, Dek soon encounters a legless android named Thia, played with pluck by Elle Fanning.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
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The judge relented in the face of his daughter’s determination, perhaps more than a little proud of her patriotic pluck.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In this spirit, as with Bloomsday, there are Midwinter Day marathon readings!—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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The 40th release, however, marks the first time the brand has ever released a tequila—an extra añejo blend put together by a leading name in the agave spirits industry.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This week also saw big news from the quantum startup Quantinuum, and DARPA announced eleven companies advanced to the second stage of its quantum benchmarking initiative, which aims to either validate or invalidate the approaches taken by companies in the program.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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The result of this initiative is a less than 5% reduction in our total employee base.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Beijing calls for ‘extraordinary measures’ toward self-reliance Chinese authorities outlined plans to increase the country’s self-reliance and deepen its dominance of manufacturing.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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Although self-reliance is Africa’s goal, the challenge is achieving true autonomy without structural transformation of nations that remain highly unproductive.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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