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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instinctual
In her speech, Swift reflected on her career, the instinctual nature of her songwriting, and trusting her own voice.
—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
The instinctual Moon in your 1st House of Identity conjoins tender Chiron there, asking you to lead by naming a need without armor.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
What Natalie does seem driven by—more than faith, more than redirected ambition—is her instinctual loathing of other women.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Sprints are chaotic and instinctual, for all the planning that can be done, decisions have to be made on feeling, with risk, at speeds topping out at around 80kph.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
This was an instinctual work, mined from decades of memory.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Gukesh has a maturity that seems connected to his openness to instinctual play, and to his awareness of the depth and power of human feeling.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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
Even voluntary music response seems to have an instinctual aspect.
—
Jesse Greenspan,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
Bryan West,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
The instinctual Moon in your 1st House of Identity conjoins tender Chiron there, asking you to lead by naming a need without armor.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
What Natalie does seem driven by—more than faith, more than redirected ambition—is her instinctual loathing of other women.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Sprints are chaotic and instinctual, for all the planning that can be done, decisions have to be made on feeling, with risk, at speeds topping out at around 80kph.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
This was an instinctual work, mined from decades of memory.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Gukesh has a maturity that seems connected to his openness to instinctual play, and to his awareness of the depth and power of human feeling.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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
Even voluntary music response seems to have an instinctual aspect.
—
Jesse Greenspan,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinctual
Adjective
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The clinical version dates to research in the 1960s and 1970s, when devices tracked heart rate variability, muscle tension and skin temperature to help people regulate what was once considered automatic.
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The Disciplinary Code states that a sending off or automatic suspension can only be challenged if it was issued to the wrong player.
Adjective
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Passive cooling, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, refers to ways to lower the indoor temperature that don’t necessarily require mechanical technology, like AC.
-
The pool did not open Saturday with the city's other outdoor pools after mechanical problems delayed the start of the season for the second consecutive year.
Adjective
-
Tailoring became lighter, proportions relaxed and layering more instinctive, creating wardrobes that feel versatile rather than prescriptive.
-
Marina, for her part, reacts to every new face and each fresh piece of information with an instinctive guardedness—and Garcia illuminates, with an almost sphinx-like half smile, the preternatural reserve of someone who’s grown up knowing not to expect too much from people.
Adjective
-
As the session continues, Atlas’s movements appear increasingly fluid, suggesting the system is being evaluated not only for strength but also for agility, reflex response, and adaptive motor control.
-
Wyle listened to the two women’s breathing and administered a reflex test on their knees.
Adjective
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First, bringing tried-and-true basics allows for spontaneous styling, rather than trying to plan every outfit ahead of time.
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The spontaneous pregnancy was so rare that even some medical professionals struggled to explain its odds.
Adjective
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Thankfully, a mechanic shop was a short drive away.
-
Smoke invades their businesses, even their sleep Inside MV Automotive at East Olympic Boulevard and Alma Avenue, Manny Villasenor, whose father owns the mechanic shop, said the smoke had forced him to close earlier.
Adjective
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It’s equipped with about 20 feet (6 meters) of solar panels and a trio of robotic arms designed to grab Swift.
-
The nation has put people on the moon, helped build and operate a long-running space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) and sent fleets of robotic explorers to many corners of the solar system — and even beyond it, into interstellar space.
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
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Small Holes One sign of snakes in your garden could be the sudden appearance of small holes that could be about the size of a small coin, or up to two inches.
Cite this Entry
“Instinctual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinctual. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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