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
-
Wyle listened to the two women’s breathing and administered a reflex test on their knees.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 May 2026
-
That reflex delays care and erodes trust.—
Liz Koch,
STAT,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Last but not least, once the full moon peaks in Capricorn, your subconscious demands take precedence, as this lunation calls for rest, reflection and privacy.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
-
The centrality of images to intuitive, subconscious methods of understanding came to be seen as particularly feminine.—
Eliza Goodpasture,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The oysters du jour with chipolata sausage and lemon are equally visceral.—
Colin Wrenn,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
-
Kraus’s sci-fi follow-up, his 23rd novel, is similarly visceral — as in it involves actual viscera, blood, and brains.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
The second — and there was a lot of this — was the analysis offered by our skills coach above, which focused on the player’s more subliminal abilities.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
His legacy as one of rap’s great subliminal assassins is one of the most impressive parts of his career.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Page turns become intentional rather than reactive.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
At the same time, many leaders report feeling overwhelmed, reactive and stretched thin.—
Elan Gepner-Dales,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The girl — identified in the affidavit as 18-year-old Paige Mahone — was found breathing but unconscious on the passenger floor, below the glovebox, according to the affidavit.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
-
The caller said family members had found the elderly woman, identified as Kun-Ying Yang, unconscious in her apartment.—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Swanson is a healthy player, Counsell said, and the manager wound up subbing him in as the automatic runner at second base for Saturday’s 10th inning against the San Francisco Giants.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 June 2026
-
Furthermore, hoisting the trophy would secure the final crucial points needed to grant her automatic entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame.—
Bob Buttitta,
Daily News,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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