as in tendency
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 instinct
Trump’s hands-off instincts, of course, match the U.S. approach to the aftermath of the Arab Spring revolts, including Syria’s.
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David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
Mufasa's story is familiar — a nobody who possesses natural skills and instincts who rises to every occasion and is revealed as a leader despite not believing in himself or his destiny, willing to let others overshadow him.
—Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024
Janning also advised parents to follow their instincts and adapt their approaches based on their unique family needs.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
When something’s broken, our instinct is to rush and fix it as quickly as possible.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for instinct 
David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
Mufasa's story is familiar — a nobody who possesses natural skills and instincts who rises to every occasion and is revealed as a leader despite not believing in himself or his destiny, willing to let others overshadow him.
—Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024
Janning also advised parents to follow their instincts and adapt their approaches based on their unique family needs.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
When something’s broken, our instinct is to rush and fix it as quickly as possible.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instinct
Noun
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Another reason is the tendency for colleges and universities to place more emphasis on their history and legacy across generations, and at times an arrogant insistence that the future must defer to them.David Rosowsky, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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But his theory seemed to mirror the temperament of Deng, who, for all his reformist tendencies, was a ruthless apparatchik.Chang Che, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Now is the time to test your skills with this week's azcentral.com news quiz, covering stories from Dec. 14-20.Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 21 Dec. 2024
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Read more on Negotiation strategies or related topics Negotiating skills, Persuasion, Trustworthiness, Interpersonal skills, Organizational culture, Interpersonal communication and Behavioral science A version of this article appeared in the January–February 2025 issue of Harvard Business Review.Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Credit card rewards function as a tax on those without credit cards and those with credit cards but without the ability or inclination to keep up with the panoply of options.David G.W. Birch, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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Hegseth himself has not shown any inclination toward a withdrawal.Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity mean people with ADHD may have trouble staying organized, concentrating, managing time or controlling impulses, which can affect all areas of life.Kristen Rogers, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024
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Phases And Faces Of The Moon The poetic impulses powering ‘Moonlight Rhapsody’ spring from El Khalil’s recognition of the existential challenges that our planet, and all its life forms, have experienced over the last two years—and continue to face.Kyle Roderick, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The judge asked that a plan for the disposition of the Infowars assets be submitted within 30 days.Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
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Judge Robert Pitman of the US District Court for the Western District of Texas will be in charge of the final disposition, Bloomberg Law reports.Skyler Caruso, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instinct. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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