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
In an era increasingly defined by technology and speed, Bastian believes human instincts matter more than ever.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Many are even swapping their profile photos for pictures of Jenner, hoping some of her famously sharp business instincts might rub off.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The very notion of national unity in a time of war seems utterly beyond this president, who follows his capricious instincts and continues, as ever, to spray venom at domestic opponents (and, for that matter, allies) when they are needed to wage and win the war.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
Jordan Page The Camelback Group Jordan Page has built a reputation in the Arizona real estate industry for his shrewd marketing instincts and outside-the-box strategies, earning recognition as an agent who understands how to make listings stand out in a crowded, highly competitive market.
—Connie Etemadi, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
That would give individual investors exposure to alternative assets and would protect them from their instincts to panic at the worst moments.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
As usual, Ike’s instincts were right; our alliance relationships survived.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Her instincts are clearly pointed in the right direction.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
His instincts, like his techniques, are relentlessly up-to-the-minute; Orsolya is hounded by not only her guilty conscience but also the demons of social media.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Many are even swapping their profile photos for pictures of Jenner, hoping some of her famously sharp business instincts might rub off.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The very notion of national unity in a time of war seems utterly beyond this president, who follows his capricious instincts and continues, as ever, to spray venom at domestic opponents (and, for that matter, allies) when they are needed to wage and win the war.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
Jordan Page The Camelback Group Jordan Page has built a reputation in the Arizona real estate industry for his shrewd marketing instincts and outside-the-box strategies, earning recognition as an agent who understands how to make listings stand out in a crowded, highly competitive market.
—Connie Etemadi, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
That would give individual investors exposure to alternative assets and would protect them from their instincts to panic at the worst moments.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
As usual, Ike’s instincts were right; our alliance relationships survived.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Her instincts are clearly pointed in the right direction.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
His instincts, like his techniques, are relentlessly up-to-the-minute; Orsolya is hounded by not only her guilty conscience but also the demons of social media.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
Noun
-
Five patterns surfaced again and again—not as hard rules, but as common tendencies among people for whom reading is not a hobby so much as a way of moving through the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Genetics linked to a breed help shape common behavioral tendencies, though individual dogs may vary.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Are there skills from your documentary background that translated to this project?—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The piece stresses that these skills must be explicitly taught rather than assumed.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is the standard for ramp inclinations that are usable for most people, especially wheelchair users.—
K. Desbouis,
Artforum,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Trump’s inclinations to make every race about him could foul this for the GOP.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An uneasy balance The concentration of power around one figure sits uneasily with one of the founding impulses of the 1979 revolution that ushered in the Islamic Republic.—
Roxane Razavi,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
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What the Signals Could Be Doing Previous research has suggested that fungi conduct electrical impulses through hyphae — long, thread-like filaments or tubes — in a way similar to how nerve cells transmit information in humans.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 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 6 Apr. 2026.
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