killer instinct

noun

The natural inclination to aggressively achieve dominance or success in a particular endeavor.

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Meanings

nounkiller instinct (countable and uncountable, plural killer instincts)

plural killer instincts

  1. countableidiomaticuncountableThe natural inclination to aggressively achieve dominance or success in a particular endeavor.

    Not for the first time this season, that lack of killer instinct - combined with an approach more responsive than probing - proved costly for Martinez's men.

    2011 January 25, Les Roopanarine, “Wigan 1 - 2 Aston Villa”, in BBC
  2. countableuncountableUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see killer, instinct.

Translations

Finnish tappajan vaisto
  • tappajan vaistoinclination
Cite this entry
APA

killer instinct. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/killer%20instinct

MLA

“killer instinct.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/killer%20instinct. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “killer instinct,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/killer%20instinct.

Source: killer instinct on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.