as in overambitiousness
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Recent Examples of killer instinct
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
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest ever to pick up a basketball, given his illustrious resume, but another major facet that has added to the lore surrounding him is his killer instinct and competitive nature.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest ever to pick up a basketball, given his illustrious resume, but another major facet that has added to the lore surrounding him is his killer instinct and competitive nature.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer instinct
Noun
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Resistant Starch Lowers Blood Sugar Oats are a natural source of resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that helps prevent blood sugar spikes.—
Brittany Lubeck,
Verywell Health,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Rice water is packed with amino acids, vitamins, and starches that soften, gently brighten, and support the skin barrier.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Then men had the grit, the unfathomable grit, to claw back from a 19-point deficit to win one of the most dramatic games in the history of either team.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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Lucky Strike is a visceral, emotionally resonant film that reminds us of the grit and ingenuity required to preserve our freedom.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An essay that lacks the rough edges, occasional clunky vocabulary, or endearing spunk of imperfect teenage writing can quickly indicate over-coaching (or, perhaps worse, the use of AI).—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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Zero in on a slip dress that Bessette Kennedy (played with ravishing spunk by Sarah Pidgeon) wears on her first date with America’s Prince and premiere himbo people-pleaser, John F. Kennedy, Jr.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And thanks to the gumption of the SLF, the fair is set to proceed as planned despite Amazon’s departure.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Helping maintain that tone of eternal optimism tinged with gumption is Steve Kerr, who gleefully added another gutsy win over Houston to a resume packed with them.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 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
-
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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Of course, there was also John Ashbery, a presiding spirit in his body of work.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
For travelers with an adventurous spirit, Costa Rica’s South Pacific is a dream come true.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Thanks to the PlayLA initiative, which is funded by LA28 and the International Olympic Committee, most kids pay $10 for the whole season.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The chamber and the city are trying their own initiatives, too.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Your Next Move Charlotte’s active community already has the discipline, self-reliance, and love of exploration that solo travel demands.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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The family’s thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2020 wasn’t too big of a change for the kids, who were already used to homeschooling and self-reliance.—
David Gleisner,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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