as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision
the birds' instinctual response is to fly away when startled
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Recent Examples of instinctual
The rest of Kennard’s learning has been through conversations with coaches, film study and instinctual play on the court.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Skyy Clark is a very instinctual defender.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Even voluntary music response seems to have an instinctual aspect.
—Jesse Greenspan, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Your method was partly instinctual, partly gleaned from older girls from home, who had found themselves in trouble that way.
—Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
There is an instinctual thing — an unspoken and not really understood connection there.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Maybe this instinctual allure is why waiting lists for allotments have doubled and tripled in the past decade.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
The former five-star recruit is big (6-3, 238), instinctual, and features impressive lateral quickness and movement skills.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More than a decade later, their chemistry is best described by Murray as telepathic, intellectual, instinctual.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Skyy Clark is a very instinctual defender.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Even voluntary music response seems to have an instinctual aspect.
—Jesse Greenspan, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Your method was partly instinctual, partly gleaned from older girls from home, who had found themselves in trouble that way.
—Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
There is an instinctual thing — an unspoken and not really understood connection there.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Maybe this instinctual allure is why waiting lists for allotments have doubled and tripled in the past decade.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
The former five-star recruit is big (6-3, 238), instinctual, and features impressive lateral quickness and movement skills.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
More than a decade later, their chemistry is best described by Murray as telepathic, intellectual, instinctual.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctual
Adjective
-
Frankly, both had done enough to merit promotion — but EFL begrudgingly grants just one automatic place to the National League, and another via a round of play-offs.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, bought a Maverick 12-gauge pump-action shotgun from Turner’s Outdoorsman in Torrance in August 2025 and an Armscor semi-automatic pistol from CAP Tactical Firearms in Lawndale in October 2023, the profile shows.—
Myles Miller,
Bloomberg,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Scaling nanotechnology through biological principles The basic premise of this research is in molecular machines, which are mechanical components consisting of only a few dozen atoms.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This would be achieved by making the flying experience less like an airplane and more like an automobile, including replacing mechanical control linkages with fly-by-wire systems, even removing the traditional rudder pedals.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As a downhill run defender, Winters is instinctive and decisive.—
Nick Harris
April 25,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Apr. 2026
-
That means today’s managers and Gen Z workers are, in many cases, operating from entirely different instinctive playbooks.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That reflex delays care and erodes trust.—
Liz Koch,
STAT,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The ten seconds that led to the Braylon Mullins’ miracle shot were a series of reflex plays, reactions, the ultimate in instincts taking over, living in the split second, rather than in the moment.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Briery said spontaneous identical triplets are worth marking, no matter how rare.—
Ryan Brennan
April 29,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Before then, Venus and Uranus are lighting up your local world and social life, making the first two weeks ripe for spontaneous adventure closer to home.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Potholes may go unfilled, Davis said, and drivers may have to make unplanned trips to the mechanic shop to fix their tires as a result.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
And soon after another brother and mechanic William Davidson joined the team.—
Ricardo Torres,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Before investing millions more yen in robotic experiments, the next policy response might be to meaningfully lift wages as part of a broader effort to restore dignity and status to the work itself.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
To test the material, the researchers developed an electronic skin and attached it to a robotic hand.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Early in his baseball career, Kaneland pitcher Jack Frey came to a sudden realization.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The turmoil has included the sudden resignation of then-Supt.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instinctual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctual. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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