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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This sequence of actions can be quite fast, since training builds it into every soldier’s muscle memory. Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025 His fingers trace paths with muscle memory that’s been honed over hundreds of drawings—everything from a cartoon portrait of Toy Story’s Woody to an architectural sketch of Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle. Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025 Djokovic’s survival instincts are so strong that muscle memory and major-winning mentality rise above temporary physical issues. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 Luckily, under real stakes, my muscle memory kicked in. Benedict Nguyễn july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 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 27 Jul. 2025.

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