as in tendency
a usually innate ability or desire to perform a specific activity
Pouncing on mice is a cat's natural instinct. We needed all of our survival instincts to make it through the weeks lost at sea.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instinct
Microsoft’s instinct for reinvention was evident from its earliest days.
—
Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
Anunoby’s instincts and aggressiveness defensively have been key to him getting easy baskets in transition, particularly lately.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
That duality between instinct and calculation is what gives the film its substance.
—Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
But her practice and new book, Lo—TEK Water (Taschen, June 2025), show that same understanding of place and instinct for problem-solving.
—Kate Guadagnino, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Jackie Snow, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
Anunoby’s instincts and aggressiveness defensively have been key to him getting easy baskets in transition, particularly lately.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
That duality between instinct and calculation is what gives the film its substance.
—Essence, 2 Apr. 2025
But her practice and new book, Lo—TEK Water (Taschen, June 2025), show that same understanding of place and instinct for problem-solving.
—Kate Guadagnino, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
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Understanding Home Bias As mentioned before, home bias is the tendency to over-invest in your home country.—
Cicely Jones,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Traveling East might have been an appropriate tendency for early humans living in what is now Europe near the end of the Ice Age.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The choice, of course, was Ovechkin, whose blend of goalscoring skill, skating ability, physicality, unyielding compete level, and exuberance revitalized the franchise and interest among fans in DC.—
Dan Kamal,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2025
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His skills include multimedia and data reporting and video and audio editing.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Stolarz’s inclination to shout instructions at teammates on the ice, often with serious levels of hostility in the name of competition, comes to him naturally.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Tariffs are designed for a combination of reasons, including protecting domestic markets; inviting foreign investment; and becoming more effective using capabilities, inclinations, and talents in other parts of the world.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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So is the impulse to satisfy that urge through drugs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2025
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Ultimately, though, Chelsea’s commitment to Rick and her hope for his peace are no match for Rick’s pain, and his impulses ignite a gunfight that catches Chelsea in its midst.—
Zoe Papelis,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Helping students develop tools and dispositions for critically evaluating media is more important than ever.—
David Nurenberg,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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The agency finally approved the company’s marketing of tests to determine genetic dispositions to 10 health conditions, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and certain blood clotting disorders, in 2017.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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