How to Use killer instinct in a Sentence

killer instinct

noun
  • Her killer instincts have helped her become one of the top tennis players in the world.
  • With that said, the Bucks have lacked a killer instinct all playoffs long.
    — Mike Hart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 19 July 2021
  • With that said, the Bucks have lacked a killer instinct all playoffs long.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 20 July 2021
  • But not everyone has that same killer instinct.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Dec. 2025
  • While that’s lofty praise, there is much to love about Edwards’ killer instinct.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 May 2024
  • The killer instinct of this team, maybe for lack of a better term, has been missing for the last few years.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2019
  • And each has a killer instinct that plays well in individual play and team play.
    — Steve Dimeglio, USA TODAY, 28 Sep. 2017
  • And Carolina has lacked the killer instinct when playing with a lead.
    — Joseph Person, charlotteobserver, 15 Dec. 2017
  • Sahli said Rowdy also has the killer instinct, once even catching a bat.
    — Kate Selig, BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2022
  • Thorne also shows killer instincts in his first feature as a director.
    — Stephen Saito, Variety, 8 Sep. 2024
  • During the third, his killer instinct shifted focus.
    — Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
  • And perhaps a bit of driver skill (killer instinct) on Norris’ part.
    — Rob Reed, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024
  • Gobert was even more succinct about the missing-in-action killer instinct.
    — Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Dec. 2021
  • But Cherry — a survivor with a dark past and killer instincts for getting ahead — is no pushover.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • With the ball moving and the team in sync, Davis showcased her killer instinct when given the chance to strike.
    — Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 13 Sep. 2023
  • And the timing showed a killer instinct, perhaps a player sensing the moment.
    — Graham Couch, Detroit Free Press, 16 Mar. 2018
  • Today was yet more proof that United too lack a chief creator, as well as a forward with a killer instinct.
    — SI.com, 14 Sep. 2019
  • Jordan's killer instinct was always on display; James likes being the nice guy.
    — Jerry Brewer, chicagotribune.com, 9 May 2018
  • Mark Helfrich was an offensive wizard, but didn’t have the same killer instinct.
    — Bill Oram, oregonlive, 22 Oct. 2022
  • But with his team still looking for the killer instinct that the back-to-back title-winning squads had to put games away late, there is room to grow.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
  • That’s the type of confidence and killer instinct that separates the greats from really goods.
    — Andy Nesbitt, For The Win, 26 Nov. 2019
  • Aaron Paul plays the guy who helps Sarah hone her killer instinct in a film about identity and fighting for one's life.
    — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2022
  • Whiteside is one of those players who has all the physical gifts, but lacks the killer instinct that will separate him from the pack.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, 13 Dec. 2017
  • But that killer instinct has been lacking this year, both for Jackson and Baltimore as a whole.
    — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, 24 Nov. 2020
  • What City have that Arsenal have not proven yet, however, is the killer instinct.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Feared, at times hated, both men possessed killer instincts and had been with Neil almost from the beginning.
    — Randy Lewis, latimes.com, 21 June 2019
  • Kate has always been considered to have a killer instinct and able to make these tough moral choices, and not always in the most benevolent way.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025
  • What makes Sam the Evolved Final Girl is precisely her killer instinct.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023
  • If anything, that just shows that Lonzo has the killer instinct to survive in the NBA.
    — Jack Moore, GQ, 13 Dec. 2017
  • One of the big gripes with Aaronson over the years at Leeds has been his poor final product or lack of killer instinct in the final third.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'killer instinct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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