muscle memory

noun

: the ability to repeat a specific muscular movement with improved efficiency and accuracy that is acquired through practice and repetition
They practice their routines with mind-numbing repetitiveness, for hours and days, weeks and years, so that each spinning, twisting landing off the high bar becomes an act of muscle memory.E. M. Swift

Examples of muscle memory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web My affection for window tiling is born of muscle memory developed during my time as a PC partisan, which peaked in 2009 and 2010 as Windows 7 was finally breaking a near-decade of Windows XP hegemony. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 18 Sep. 2024 Eventually, selecting becomes muscle memory, but the persistent busywork required to manage even the simplest situation becomes a slog, pushing players to fall back on the most reliable methods to get the job done quickly rather than try anything new. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2024 Consistent messaging helps increase donors’ muscle memory, which can build loyalty. Cherian Koshy, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024 And attacking Biden appears to be muscle memory at this point, Congress and Campaigns Editor David Sivak wrote for us this morning. Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for muscle memory 

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

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of muscle memory was in 1890

Dictionary Entries Near muscle memory

Cite this Entry

“Muscle memory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muscle%20memory. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!