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.
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Recent Examples of instinct
Per old wives’ tales, nesting is a phenomenon that happens near the end of gestation: a maternal instinct to prepare for birth.
—
Betty Liu, Bon Appétit, 20 Jan. 2025
Europe has long been working against any Darwinist instincts, spending the past several years trying to wedge its head inside the mouth of the lion while their own people yell at them to stop.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2025
My first instinct was to tuck pants into the boots with the fur on full display.
—Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2025
With his cop’s instincts aroused, Fok smells a rat and decides to dig deeper into Ma’s case.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for instinct 
Betty Liu, Bon Appétit, 20 Jan. 2025
Europe has long been working against any Darwinist instincts, spending the past several years trying to wedge its head inside the mouth of the lion while their own people yell at them to stop.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 19 Jan. 2025
My first instinct was to tuck pants into the boots with the fur on full display.
—Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2025
With his cop’s instincts aroused, Fok smells a rat and decides to dig deeper into Ma’s case.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
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There is an uncomfortable tendency in tennis to give male coaching teams the credit for their player’s success.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
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While many artists of her generation were fascinated by similar themes, her work has repeatedly proven difficult to classify, conforming to no single movement or tendency.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Just about every skill that is useful in calm times will be needed in these difficult months and years ahead.—
James Kendra,
The Conversation,
20 Jan. 2025
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The problem with that approach is Volpe doesn’t have the elite bat-to-ball skills that Arráez and Kwan possess, so much of the shortstop’s success was predicated on BABIP luck.—
Chris Kirschner,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The dark inclinations of Oh, Hi! are a welcome change to the modern rom-com formula, externalizing Iris’ millennial romantic anxiety into a full emotional breakdown.—
Jourdain Searles,
The Hollywood Reporter,
29 Jan. 2025
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In adolescence, those inclinations shifted toward the bohemia of the late-1960s art scene, and upon leaving home and going west, CalArts proved a sympathetic environment for his singular talents and personality.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Whatever solutions may exist to this crisis, again, if there are any, won’t be solved by following our more partisan impulses.—
Matthew Specktor,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Jan. 2025
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The older is progressivism’s century-old commitment to administration: the impulse to centralize and rationalize in the name of efficiency and transparency.—
Ian Tuttle,
National Review,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Your dream business, routine, partner, setup, physique and disposition.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Still, her amicable disposition and nonchalant attitude reinforced the confessional tenor and straight-shooting candor of many of her songs.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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