killer instinct

noun

Definition of killer instinctnext
as in overambitiousness

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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 killer instinct The entrepreneur and lifestyle icon has built a career out of creating and celebrating beautiful things, but a killer instinct for business is why her career has far outpaced the men’s around her. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2026 UConn is 22-1, has won 18 in a row, is 7-0 in true road games, ranked third in the nation, and the coach is no longer lamenting a lack of killer instinct, but showing the lack of respect card. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026 Kylian Mbappe of France and Norway’s Erling Haaland also got two goals each with the kind of mobility and killer instinct that Ronaldo has simply not shown in recent major tournaments. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 18 June 2026 And while Paraguay deserve plenty of blame for what was a shockingly poor effort, Maucio Pochettino’s USMNT also deserves credit for instilling a killer instinct in his side that broke that Albirroja spirit. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for killer instinct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for killer instinct
  1. starch
  2. grit
  3. spunk
  4. gumption
  5. pluck
  6. spirit
  7. initiative
  8. self-reliance
Noun
  • Fermentation also changes the bread chemically, Messer notes, as beneficial bacteria known as lactic acid help break down some starches and proteins in the dough, including small amounts of gluten.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • While there are a few unspoken rules for the main course—most people stick to the classic protein, starch, and vegetable combo—appetizers can be practically anything.
    — Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 28 June 2026
Definition of starch
Noun
  • The fans got their wish after a roller coaster of emotions as Team USA, down a man for the final 36 minutes after a Folarin Balogun red card, showed grit, poise and never-say-die attitude to hang on for a 2-0 win to advance to the Round of 16.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • Surviving a World Cup knockout-stage brawl takes a special kind of grit.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • But Alcock is no John Wayne or Jeff Bridges, and Ridley lacks the spunk of Kim Darby and Hailee Steinfeld.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 June 2026
  • These small, high-energy pups have plenty of spunk and a big heart.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 11 June 2026
Definition of spunk
Noun
  • Starting with $250 and a lot of gumption, Kathy Bonnet created a Nashville tradition.
    — Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 27 June 2026
  • As Riese observed in an excellent round-up from Autostraddle, this magazine was best known for a certain gumption.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Definition of gumption
Noun
  • The opening acoustic guitar plucks were full in the lower frequencies while showing enough treble finesse to convey fine string texture.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
  • With every pluck, the strings seem to vibrate in the air in front of you, blurring like bees’ wings.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
Definition of pluck
Noun
  • If American music in 1976 represented a collective, inquisitive, inventive American spirit of discovery, the semiquincentennial in the age of social media has become more about the individual identity.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The spirit of a '90s summer vacation is alive and well in tropics-print caftans like this fresh-off-the-runway one from SHAN's SS27 Collection.
    — Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 2 July 2026
Definition of spirit
Noun
  • Since, the Eagles Autism Foundation has raised more than $56 million because of initiatives like the annual Eagles Autism Challenge.
    — Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Women build communities, launch initiatives, and create coalitions on shoestring budgets while the institutional resources that would let those efforts scale remain largely inaccessible.
    — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of initiative
Noun
  • In a place like Austria, the mountains were the only zone of true freedom and self-reliance.
    — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • Informal economic activity, self-reliance and community connection were vital lifelines.
    — Carla Vecchiola, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
Definition of self-reliance

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Cite this Entry

“Killer instinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/killer%20instinct. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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