instincts

noun

plural of instinct
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of instincts The Moon enters Pisces and your 1st House of Self, bringing your mood, body, instincts, and personal needs into focus. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 The lesson Philipps is taking from her experience is to gain knowledge and trust your instincts about your health. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 But that doesn’t mean the show is cured of its worst instincts, like turning people’s very serious, consequential life problems into entertainment. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 The affidavit did not state how or why Ibarra's group chose to drive to the Sinawav Lodge to pursue the man who fled the party, but their instincts were correct. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Siena has incredible comic instincts and brings so much heart to Nora. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026 His football endurance might still be coming along; his football instincts might still be creeping back; his contact-balance is still a skill that needs to be strengthened after years of atrophy. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026 But Abney’s instincts and fearless makeup were always going to leave an impact on this staff. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 One of those instincts was making room for emotional vulnerability between Black men. — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instincts
  1. tendencies
  2. skills
  3. inclinations
  4. impulses
  5. dispositions
Noun
  • This sense of threat can trigger authoritarian tendencies, including support for taking away civil liberties like the ability to give public speeches or run for political office from disliked others.
    — Paul Djupe, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The New York Young Republicans Club’s Nazi tendencies are well known.
    — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tendencies
Noun
  • That kind of collective learning is especially important in the era of AI as distinctly human skills like attention span, curiosity, judgment, empathy and collaboration become more valuable, Kavanagh and Danielson argued.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • That means redesigning processes and workflows alongside the technology, investing in new skills and creating a culture where employees understand how AI can augment their work rather than simply automate it.
    — Jill Standish, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of skills
Noun
  • Putin will eventually leave office, whether by death, illness, or—against all observable inclinations—stepping aside.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
  • People with gene variants that affect these inclinations may also be at a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes, researchers found.
    — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of inclinations
Noun
  • Trump has continued to demand lower rates, leading some to infer Warsh is holding off raising rates until after the November midterm election to unleash his hawkish impulses.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Executive functioning refers to the mental skills people use to plan, organize, focus, decide, solve problems, regulate emotions and impulses, and complete multi-step activities.
    — Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of impulses
Noun
  • The state's Clean Slate legislation addresses the criminal records system itself, including procedures for identifying missing dispositions and correcting incomplete criminal history information.
    — Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The dispositions in the Massachusetts arrests were not immediately clear.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026
Definition of dispositions

Browse Nearby Words

instinctively
instincts
instinctual
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Cite this Entry

“Instincts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instincts. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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