Pavlovian

adjective

Definition of Pavloviannext
as in reflex

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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
  1. reflex
  2. subconscious
  3. visceral
  4. conditioned
  5. subliminal
  6. reactive
  7. unconscious
  8. automatic
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
  • In Majipoor, Vision signs the client’s contract and prepares to go on, well, a vision quest into his subconscious.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
  • And bourgeois education dragging down the individual subconscious.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of subconscious
Adjective
  • There’s also a visceral realization that the runway ahead is shorter than the runway behind.
    — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 5 Nov. 2026
  • His work is visionary, and his stealth and imagination of camera work and storytelling is so visceral and sensuous.
    — Wengel Gemu, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 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
  • Was Lamb’s a subliminal reference to Flyte or are fans reading into that too much?
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Spoiler control increases the difference between knowing something about a movie and actually experiencing it; the resulting informational scarcity is a conspicuous kind of subliminal marketing.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of subliminal
Adjective
  • This would shift the system from a primarily reactive to a more predictive one.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Executive Strategies For Implementation Applying TE to organizational settings requires a shift from reactive management to conscious engagement in leadership interactions.
    — Gia Tskhovrebadze, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of reactive
Adjective
  • Most LifeFlight patients are unconscious or too ill to consent to share their stories, so the details are private.
    — Elaine Appleton-Grant, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The child’s mother, who was not charged in the case, reported the crime after finding Sophia unconscious with head wounds.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of unconscious
Adjective
  • Mississippi does not have an automatic recount process, but a challenger can seek a court order for one.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Mississippi's election procedures do not have an automatic recount provision.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of automatic

Browse Nearby Words

paving the way (for)
Pavlovian
paw
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Cite this Entry

“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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