as in reflex
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Recent Examples of Pavlovian
When the needle finally drops, the effect is Pavlovian.
—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 July 2025
The result is a political Pavlovian response where even modest tax reforms come with a side of millionaire exodus think-pieces.
—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
The theme is the same Pavlovian ring tone as its dating show predecessor, but off-kilter — the Wario to Love Island’s Mario.
—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 July 2025
The response was Pavlovian, the practice ingrained in her by her own mother, who spent much of her time pacifying her insecure and whiny husband.
—
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
George Lucas’ 1977 space saga is pure Pavlovian pop rush and knows how to modernize creaky B-movie genre elements for maximum audience reaction.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2025
Drivers build lives around parking: the work shifts altered to align with the alternate-side-rotation hours, the keys always in the pocket, the Pavlovian alertness at the chirp of an unlocking car.
—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them,
11 Feb. 2025
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 July 2025
The result is a political Pavlovian response where even modest tax reforms come with a side of millionaire exodus think-pieces.
—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
The theme is the same Pavlovian ring tone as its dating show predecessor, but off-kilter — the Wario to Love Island’s Mario.
—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
13 July 2025
The response was Pavlovian, the practice ingrained in her by her own mother, who spent much of her time pacifying her insecure and whiny husband.
—
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
George Lucas’ 1977 space saga is pure Pavlovian pop rush and knows how to modernize creaky B-movie genre elements for maximum audience reaction.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2025
Drivers build lives around parking: the work shifts altered to align with the alternate-side-rotation hours, the keys always in the pocket, the Pavlovian alertness at the chirp of an unlocking car.
—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them,
11 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Pavlovian
Adjective
-
As the session continues, Atlas’s movements appear increasingly fluid, suggesting the system is being evaluated not only for strength but also for agility, reflex response, and adaptive motor control.
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Wyle listened to the two women’s breathing and administered a reflex test on their knees.
Adjective
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Her Taurus moon also occupies her 12th house, an area of the birth chart associated with spirituality, secrecy and subconscious realms.
-
All in all, a funny glimpse at the power of the mob to both protect and serve our collective subconscious.
Adjective
-
While the actors and their stunt doubles display impressive moves, and Claudia Sarne’s industrial electronica score keeps the action churning, the many clashes are mostly generic, seldom packing much of a visceral wallop, and the effects work is strictly standard-issue.
-
Despite the visceral reaction of their fans after Saturday’s match in KC, Ecuador can still move to the knockout stage with a win over Germany.
Adjective
-
As the protagonist Ben in Night of the Living Dead (1968), Duane Jones unveiled a distinct facet of pre-conditioned Black martyrdom.
-
The new formula is infused with a luscious blend of flower oils so that lashes feel conditioned and supple to the touch.
Adjective
-
Drop after drop after drop from the receivers and tight ends — all while Brandon Aiyuk continued to post subliminal messages on social media amid his feud with the 49ers.
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When Kelli arrives to move into Shamea’s townhouse, the exchange is fraught with what feels like subliminal messages directed at Porsha.
Adjective
-
The plaintiffs allege Bio-Lab and the parent company, Kik LLC, had a history of chemical storage issues, and staff incorrectly tried to put out a water-reactive chemical reaction by adding water before the fire began, thereby causing the fire and toxic gas plume.
-
This shift views human variability as an opportunity, transforming accessibility from a reactive function into a strategic lens for understanding people and driving business growth.
Adjective
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She was found unconscious in the bay and had emergency brain surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital the night of the crash.
-
The man was unconscious and unresponsive after hitting the ground, police said.
Adjective
-
Miller got a fly ball out that moved the automatic runner to third base and then a strikeout before a single by Wyatt Langford brought in a run.
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The youngest of five siblings, she was born just one month after the country rescinded automatic birthright citizenship.
Cite this Entry
“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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