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muscle memory

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Definition of muscle memory

: 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 Presidential transitions have unfolded as if by muscle memory. — Michael Tackett And Calvin Woodward, Star Tribune, "Trump putting democracy to the test after his loss to Biden," 14 Nov. 2020 Over the past four years, a muscle memory has developed in Berlin, Paris, Brussels, and London of how to work not just with American power, but against it, on issues such as climate change and trade. — Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, "Joe Biden Won’t Fix America’s Relationship With the World," 8 Nov. 2020 On Sunday, will Johnson be defined by his scar tissue or muscle memory? — Jim Souhan, Star Tribune, "Easy does it for Masters leader Dustin Johnson," 14 Nov. 2020 The second night was easier; the human body has a muscle memory, and after one night can adjust to sleeping on the ground. — Carl Nolte, SFChronicle.com, "3 days unplugged in freezing North Coast woods a grueling, worthwhile ordeal," 14 Nov. 2020 Those skills translate well to pole vaulting — body control, muscle memory. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Annual letter-of-intent event has different look at Petco Park," 11 Nov. 2020 Cooking became a mechanical process, muscle memory leading the way. — Washington Post, "Coronavirus steals a chef’s sense of taste, and there’s no telling when it might come back," 28 Sep. 2020 Induction also comes with a learning curve, swapping out the visuals of licking flames and the muscle memory of knobs to numbers. — Sabrina Imbler, The Atlantic, "How Bad Are Gas Stoves, Really?," 15 Oct. 2020 All my shortcuts are easier to hit one-handed, and my muscle memory is untouched. — Whitson Gordon, Wired, "Do Everything Faster With These Keyboard Tricks," 14 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'muscle memory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of muscle memory

1890, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for muscle memory

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The first known use of muscle memory was in 1890

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Statistics for muscle memory

Last Updated

9 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Muscle memory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muscle%20memory. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

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