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.
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Recent Examples of instincts
The Moon in Taurus moves through your 1st House of Self, making your body, instincts, and personal needs impossible to ignore.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 12th House of Reflection, illuminating private thoughts, old patterns, and instincts that have been waiting underneath the noise.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
Kurt's key takeaways Silent voicemails are designed to mess with your instincts.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
No need to overthink things either, especially with the sun joining forces with Mercury in Taurus, turning up the volume on our thoughts, instincts and voice.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
That process helps people build confidence and trust their own instincts.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Lyan Tun found that the tensions that emerged on set, the moments when their different instincts about how to respond to an unexpected problem collided, ultimately shaped the film’s texture.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 May 2026
Our worst instincts as a society is manipulated from above — hating each other.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 May 2026
His instincts are second to none.
—Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 12th House of Reflection, illuminating private thoughts, old patterns, and instincts that have been waiting underneath the noise.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
Kurt's key takeaways Silent voicemails are designed to mess with your instincts.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
No need to overthink things either, especially with the sun joining forces with Mercury in Taurus, turning up the volume on our thoughts, instincts and voice.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
That process helps people build confidence and trust their own instincts.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Lyan Tun found that the tensions that emerged on set, the moments when their different instincts about how to respond to an unexpected problem collided, ultimately shaped the film’s texture.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 May 2026
Our worst instincts as a society is manipulated from above — hating each other.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 May 2026
His instincts are second to none.
—Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
-
But over time, these tendencies have taken their toll.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The movie only hints at the underlying social tendencies that a populist exploits.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Seen from this perspective, music seems not merely like an activity that builds cognitive skills, but perhaps even more essentially like an activity that builds social connection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Asked what her plans are post-graduation, Li admitted her basic printing skills could improve, hopefully with assistance from someone at Dries Van Noten.—
Ari Stark,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The ability to create offense individually, put pressure on the rim and set up stationary shooters — as much as such violates Kerr’s inclinations — have become necessary to beat good modern defenses.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
Writers who used to hide their masculinist impulses behind a pen name now write and say outrageous things under their real name.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
Amid the early-spring lightness of the filmmaking, Fukada values softly plainspoken earnestness of emotion, as his repressed, recessive characters learn to listen to their own impulses in the general stillness that surrounds them.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
David Yannetti, representing Officer Nicholas O’Malley, 33, has filed a slew of discovery motions in the case — requesting records of King’s complete criminal history, including all arrests, charges, dispositions, and pending matters from any jurisdiction.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
13 May 2026
-
Deputies will document all referrals and dispositions so the department can track how often services are offered, what resources are utilized and whether those efforts are producing measurable results.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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