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
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The practice builds muscle memory for IT teams to tap into during a real crisis, when every minute counts. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Unlike riding a bike, where the muscle memory takes over after a long hiatus, this business requires constant recalibration. Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 31 May 2025 The problem comes with muscle memory and the years of controller play cementing the idea of the right analog stick for camera movement. Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 28 May 2025 Brokerage and investment-banking stocks as a group are back to their highs, no coincidence, as the Street rediscovers the bull-market muscle memory. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for muscle memory

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Muscle memory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muscle%20memory. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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