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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Its clean and organic ingredients like fennel and tapioca starch left my hair feeling moisturized and lightweight.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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Lamb pairs well with a starch, but this side of potatoes takes comfort sides to the next level.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The players lived up to the program’s high standard of hustle and grit.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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There's real grit underneath the shag haircut and thigh-high boots, though; see the discotheque scene, where her entire body vibrates with a desperate mix of hope, terror, and determination.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 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
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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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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
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Often described as America’s most famous female tiger trainer, the Tiger Queen was renowned for her pluck and charisma.—
Alessandro Meregaglia,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Let wonder guide choices that feed your spirit.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Scheffler was thoroughly amused and looked to be in good spirits heading into Sunday.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The November ballot might also include two citizens initiatives — one that would repeal the city’s new trash fee for single-family homes and another that would repeal new parking fees.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Comprehensive, multi-layered defense shield The Golden Dome initiative is designed as a comprehensive, multi-layered defense shield capable of detecting and intercepting a wide range of threats, including ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Beijing’s decision to double down on self-reliance underscores the urgency of weaning itself off Western technology.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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The latest signals from Beijing’s political gathering have reinforced the view that tech self-reliance and industrial upgrading will anchor economic growth in the years to come.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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