PAVLOVIAN Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

Pavlovian

adjective

Definition of Pavlovian

as in reflex

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of Pavlovian Publications from the Times on down employ clickbait headlines that treat you like a starving rat in a Pavlovian experiment. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 O’Neill, who also has Pavlovian as a starter, named Cristian Torres to ride Robusta because Emisael Jaramillo had commitments at Santa Anita. — Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026 Having been in a couple of recent street fights in Derby qualifying races, Pavlovian looks to have a haymaker’s chance. — Danny Brewer, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Why this is so is based on a number of factors, including official priorities, trade-offs, and what many suspect is Pavlovian manipulation. — New Atlas, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Pavlovian

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Pavlovian

Adjective

The reflex sell-off after Wednesday's Federal Reserve rate hike gave the S&P 500 a momentary test of 7500, which proved a timely shakeout.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Padmini smiled, though this appeared more reflex than friendliness.

— Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of reflex

Adjective

Davidsen bucks up her balky husband with a bloodthirsty holler, stiffens her voice against doubt, and, in her final sleepwalking scene, taps into the tender stratum of Lady Macbeth’s subconscious.

— Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Not to mention, all the subconscious terrain, where one wrestles with memory, vulnerability, and presence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of subconscious

Adjective

For starters, Drive’s dreamy and unabashed aestheticism represented a break from the rougher, more visceral films on which Winding Refn had built his reputation.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
But by incorporating the recurring ghost of Richie, a thirteen-year-old inmate who befriends the children—Ward combines the Southern Gothic with a socio-realist tradition in a voice that is both visceral and intimate.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of visceral

Adjective

As the protagonist Ben in Night of the Living Dead (1968), Duane Jones unveiled a distinct facet of pre-conditioned Black martyrdom.

— Malik Peay, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2023
The new formula is infused with a luscious blend of flower oils so that lashes feel conditioned and supple to the touch.

— Daisy Maldonado, SELF, 13 Sep. 2022

Definition of conditioned

Adjective

More likely she was hooked by the subliminal stirrings and emotional undertow of the music.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Her minimalist expression is matched by Hildur Gudnadóttir’s almost subliminal composition and sound design that now represents a beating heart, now thundering clouds.

— Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of subliminal

Adjective

Additionally, the metal has a non reactive layer of chromium oxide that further inhibits the strong chemical bond necessary for an actual seasoning to develop.

— Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
That turns renewals into strategic conversations instead of reactive cost-cutting exercises.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of reactive

Adjective

Security Accounting software contains sensitive financial information, so only consider a platform with strong security measures like encryption, secure bank connections, authentication and automatic data backups.

— Carson Brunson, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
District title races rev up Friday night with 14 of the Sentinel Super 16 teams playing games that count in the chase for automatic state playoff berths.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of automatic

Browse Nearby Words

paving the way (for)

Pavlovian

paw

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“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of Pavlovian

adjective

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