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
-
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
-
Rough & Tumble — the name captures the sweat and grit of politics — has continued without interruption for 30-plus years.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
-
So did their affinity for launching long shots, and their grit and effort.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
5 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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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
-
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
-
Ancient Mayans later believed cenotes were sacred portals to the underworld, where gods and spirits dwelled.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2026
-
By the 1980s, the mob had slowed, but some say the spirit of the mafia never left Gaetano's basement.—
Kennedy Cook,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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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Each effort strengthened his instincts for initiative and self-reliance.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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