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
-
While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
Sometimes, the frame is transfixed by haunting, practically subliminal changes fomenting on a subconscious level, as Dua is shaken from within, and the remarkable Matoshi doles out nuggets of recognizable emotion from beneath her rock-hard exterior.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
So when half-time came with their team three goals up, the roar from the stands was so visceral that the energy shift could have been sensed by somebody in a coma.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Instantly, her presence makes everything more awkward, and not in a fun, cringe-comedy kind of way, but in a visceral, painful one.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
13 May 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
-
In the year since, both women have appeared to send subliminal messages about each other via their social media, but neither has outwardly dissed the other until this week, keeping it mostly professional.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
-
As a child raised amid war and displacement, uncertainty and subliminal anxiety felt natural to me.—
Mehrnoush Soroush,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Contrary to the myth of the perpetually reactive CEO, Molinaroli insists that in his case reflection was always present, even if unevenly distributed.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
Under oxidative stress, harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) directly damage cellular DNA, causing cells to age prematurely.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
En route, dispatchers advised that the motorcyclist was unconscious and receiving CPR.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
Hamilton was found on the floor of her bedroom unconscious, bound at the wrists with a phone charging cord wrapped tightly around her neck and mouth, which prompted a homicide investigation.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Yale will be trying for its first title since the Ivy League started playing a postseason tournament in 2023, and the NCAA Tournament automatic bid that goes to the champion.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
President Pablo Longoria, sporting director Mehdi Benatia and head coach Roberto De Zerbi were portrayed as working in lockstep, and De Zerbi’s first season at the helm had concluded with Marseille securing automatic Champions League qualification for only the third time since 2013.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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