as in reflex
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Recent Examples of Pavlovian
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
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
The clack-clack-clack of the spinning wheel and the announcing of the winning number tends to elicit a Pavlovian response from the audience.
—David Andreatta, New York Times, 16 Feb. 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
Nostalgia plays a part too, of course, as those of us who came of age in the VHS era have an almost Pavlovian response to the look and feel of those chunky black tapes.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
Every other outcome only reinforces his Pavlovian impulse to belittle, attack and dominate.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 May 2024
Just as red-leather booths and dark oak paneling trigger the Pavlovian expectation of a frigid martini and a glistening rib-eye, intimate counters from Omaha to Austin to Chicago to Denver promise a multicourse procession of jewel-like fish flown overnight from Japan.
—Brett Anderson, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
The clack-clack-clack of the spinning wheel and the announcing of the winning number tends to elicit a Pavlovian response from the audience.
—David Andreatta, New York Times, 16 Feb. 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
Nostalgia plays a part too, of course, as those of us who came of age in the VHS era have an almost Pavlovian response to the look and feel of those chunky black tapes.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
Every other outcome only reinforces his Pavlovian impulse to belittle, attack and dominate.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 May 2024
Just as red-leather booths and dark oak paneling trigger the Pavlovian expectation of a frigid martini and a glistening rib-eye, intimate counters from Omaha to Austin to Chicago to Denver promise a multicourse procession of jewel-like fish flown overnight from Japan.
—Brett Anderson, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Pavlovian
Adjective
-
But ultimately, the week ended with a pretty good array of extremes in selling pressure and hedging demand of the sort that should turn the risk-reward more favorable for a reflex bounce before too long.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2025
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The reflex reaction would be to suggest that without Stiller and Goretzka, Germany lost control in midfield.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But who exactly is The Sentry, what are his origins, powers, and comrades in the fight against justice, and what’s the deal with his evil subconscious manifestation, The Void?—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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This is often tied to a fear of intimacy — a subconscious fear of being emotionally vulnerable and dependent on someone else.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Even while acting pain and fear, Jordan looks far too comfortable, an issue that seeps into the production as a whole, where a visceral sense of the stakes of Floyd’s predicament never really develops.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
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Seen through today’s political lens, where American liberals and conservatives are duking it out as democracy teeters, Shepard’s 42-year-old play feels like a visceral gut punch.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
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
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Is the show of regret a conditioned response associated with receiving a less severe punishment?—
Charlotte Hu,
Discover Magazine,
31 July 2011
Adjective
-
No wonder the movie keeps cutting to nearly subliminal flashbacks of Brosnahan — an overcompensating attempt to fill the void where its heart should be.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The workmanship shows in the color and precision of the grout, the mottling of dark flecks, and the triangular pieces where the arches meet — details that give the façade a subliminal liveliness.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This species suffered less oxidative stress, meaning that fewer reactive oxygen species built up in its cells.—
Elizabeth Rayne,
ArsTechnica,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Staying proactive, not reactive, and always prepared for what’s next.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Yet recent research has shown just how quickly initial impressions can form — and just how unconscious our judgments can be.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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Alicia was unconscious after having just been strangled by Valter, while Lejla was trapped inside the chamber, bleeding from banging her head against the glass.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This opens up the possibility of Wycombe either clinching automatic promotion before their two rivals play, or the door being prised open for either Wrexham or Charlton to nip through and set up a nerve-wracking final day.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
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Congress tried to address this issue by passing the Child Citizenship Act in 2000, which grants automatic citizenship to international adoptees.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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