as in tendencies
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of instincts
The retrospective, in a way, serves as a confirmation of these instincts and encourages the director to move forward.
—
Rino Lu, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
These robot systems possess the digital instincts to interpret shifting shadows, navigate unpredictable debris, and make decisions in pitch-black environments — turning hazardous isolation into an accessible workspace.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Ahead, Fields talks determination in pursuit of a dream, following your instincts and fostering relationships.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
While country storytelling shaped her structure, Swift said emo and pop-punk music sharpened her lyrical instincts.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
My husband — who has much stronger instincts for self-preservation — stayed firmly on the ground.
—Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The actor, 46, posted a poem to his Instagram Stories on Monday, April 27 about relying on your gut instincts.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
The late night host instincts don’t go away just because the show is over.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
What the Dolphins can’t afford it to draft another Channing Tindall, who was all athleticism and no instincts.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Rino Lu, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
These robot systems possess the digital instincts to interpret shifting shadows, navigate unpredictable debris, and make decisions in pitch-black environments — turning hazardous isolation into an accessible workspace.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
Ahead, Fields talks determination in pursuit of a dream, following your instincts and fostering relationships.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
While country storytelling shaped her structure, Swift said emo and pop-punk music sharpened her lyrical instincts.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
My husband — who has much stronger instincts for self-preservation — stayed firmly on the ground.
—Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The actor, 46, posted a poem to his Instagram Stories on Monday, April 27 about relying on your gut instincts.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
The late night host instincts don’t go away just because the show is over.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
What the Dolphins can’t afford it to draft another Channing Tindall, who was all athleticism and no instincts.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
-
Rácz has been interpreted as a foil to Vladimír Mečiar, a real-life politician who served as Slovakia’s prime minister between 1990 and 1998 and was heavily criticized for his autocratic tendencies, strongman persona, and ties to organized crime.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Try this instead The prevalence of vaguebooking also speaks to the breakdown of communication skills more broadly.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Facing a crisis in critical thinking skills, some are reviving oral exams, forcing students to defend their assignments to instructors in real time.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Who knew that such daring would lead to a film that avoids these inclinations entirely, especially one that could have so easily leaned into controversial territory?—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Samuel Alito’s inclinations have not been hard to discern lately.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because at its core, this legal drama that revolves around artificial intelligence is actually rooted in the very human impulses of kinship, greed, betrayal, and power.—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Bell, whose screen roles have long radiated decency and sensitivity, channels that guilelessness once more, only to expose it as yet another façade that helps Niall to conceal his darker impulses.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But white settlers found their stubborn dispositions too unruly for domestication and their big bodies too tempting a commodity.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The solstice will occur on March 20, bringing with it longer, warmer days, blooming flowers, and overall happier dispositions.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
