survival instinct

noun

: ability to know what to do to stay alive
an animal's survival instinct

Examples of survival instinct in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The wedding, its own sentient entity with a strong survival instinct, will lurch forward regardless. Rachel Handler, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2024 The reason butterflies fly so erratically is a survival instinct. Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 29 July 2024 There’s something about street cats and bodega cats and the survival instinct side of the city. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 June 2024 Human recklessness is mitigated by survival instinct, among other things, but that instinct might not come into play when autonomous systems are deployed without a human operator on board. Lauren Kahn, Foreign Affairs, 6 June 2023 So, even though it's been miserably cold the past week, most animals out in the wild have been preparing for months and have more than enough resources and survival instinct to carry them through freezing temperatures. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 19 Jan. 2024 Fear is the right response to danger—the emotional presentation of our survival instinct. Lydia Millet, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024 While today’s household cats have evolved socially to coexist with humans and other animals, much of their behavior remains motivated by survival instinct, and encroachment on their space may spark conflict. Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 So, even though it's been a miserably cold week, most animals out in the wild have been preparing for months and have more than enough resources and survival instinct to carry them through freezing temperatures. Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 19 Jan. 2024

Dictionary Entries Near survival instinct

Cite this Entry

“Survival instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survival%20instinct. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!