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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These structures are envelopes of starch that shift and settle at the bottom of plant cells, helping the organisms to detect changes in their position and stability—and to tell germinating seeds in which direction to grow their roots.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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This gigantic starch storage structure ensures rapid growth in the spring since the plant is deciduous and dies back during the winter.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And yet … two things tend to translate, historically, from the regular season to the playoff grit and grind.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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The Pistons have built their success on toughness, grit and defense — the same qualities that once defined the Magic.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Apr. 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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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
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Clearly, the interior designer known as Dabito—Dab, for short—does not lack for gumption.—
Ingrid Abramovitch,
Architectural Digest,
20 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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The days of the secluded mathematician chalking up a blackboard have largely given way to a collaborative spirit as math has become increasingly technical.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2026
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Customized services from the building’s concierge available to all include events such as wine and spirits tastings that will bring neighbors together.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This article is part of The Times’ early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to age 5.—
Moriah Balingit,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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On the occasion of Earth Day and Jane Goodall’s birthday, Vital Impacts has created a collection of images for purchase, with proceeds going to initiatives that support youth environmental education.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Dangote also used the forum to push back on pessimism about African self-reliance.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
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The latest spending strategy would focus on Australian self-reliance, which should not be confused with military self-sufficiency, Marles said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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