PAVLOVIAN Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

Pavlovian

adjective

Definition of Pavlovian

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

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

One reason is because the wrong word or phrase can impair an athlete’s attention or focus, pulling them out of their subconscious performance (or flow) state.

— Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of subconscious

Adjective

She had been reminded of his anniversary just days earlier in a Facebook Memory, but the sound of his voice was a visceral jolt.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Research has linked altered cortisol activity with greater abdominal and visceral fat, although the relationship is complex.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 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

Rustling and droning tape effects from Frye, subtle enough to be nearly subliminal but still somehow palpably present, act as a binding agent on every track, blurring tones and connecting rhythms.

— Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
Transitivity also posits a subliminal dimension for Shift, something like the psyche of structured encounter.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of subliminal

Adjective

Inserting neutrons into the uranium mix forces some of them to transform into a more reactive material, such as the isotope plutonium-239.

— Mike McRae October 06, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2026
When your skin feels especially reactive, calming ingredients like Centella asiatica, madecassoside, and Coptis japonica root step in.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of reactive

Adjective

Cress agreed with Sacramento County prosecutors, who argued Kaur did not get out of her sport utility vehicle to check on the unconscious Lopez after striking his motorcycle or attempt to render aid.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
An unconscious Pike was later taken to a Nashville hospital and placed on a ventilator.

— Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of unconscious

Adjective

Some robo-advisors offer more customization and features, such as tax-loss harvesting, which uses losses to offset other portfolio gains, or automatic rebalancing.

— Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
And not all of the proofs were certified as correct by the automatic logic verification platform Lean—in fact, some have already been retracted after outside scientists found mistakes.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of automatic

Browse Nearby Words

paving the way (for)

Pavlovian

paw

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of Pavlovian

adjective

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