as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision
a colleague known for her knee-jerk rejection of any proposal that she didn't originate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knee-jerk
Tuesday was defined by the knee-jerk reactions to multiple — and often conflicting — headlines about the status of the Iran war and the ability for oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
—
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
October 23 – November 21 Your knee-jerk reactions could use some extra thought right now.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Scorpio October 23 – November 21 Your knee-jerk reactions could use some extra thought right now.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2026
This is clearly a knee-jerk reaction and ignorant of actual risks.
—Michael F. Gorman, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
October 23 – November 21 Your knee-jerk reactions could use some extra thought right now.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Scorpio October 23 – November 21 Your knee-jerk reactions could use some extra thought right now.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Mar. 2026
This is clearly a knee-jerk reaction and ignorant of actual risks.
—Michael F. Gorman, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-jerk
Adjective
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In the Charger, an AR-style rifle and a Glock pistol with a switch that turned it into a fully automatic weapon were found.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Unless Congress acts, that would mean automatic cuts to monthly checks.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Every time missiles fly over the Middle East, the same reflex kicks in: Traders panic, headlines scream about $100 oil, and columnists invoke the 1973 Arab oil embargo.—
Wael Mahdi,
semafor.com,
1 Mar. 2026
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There was a reflex stop on a David Kämpf flash rebound in the second period.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Form Insoles combine mechanical arch support with a neuro-stimulating texture, which is proven to reduce foot fatigue and arch pain by increasing overall foot awareness and foot posture.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Until the economies of scale kicked in that would shove mechanical movements into near oblivion within a decade, quartz watches were priced well at the luxury end of the market.—
David Szondy
March 28,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even a spontaneous side order of roasted carrots with pomegranate yogurt is haunting me, in a wonderful way.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And Stanford forbade spontaneous demonstrations across much of campus.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The instinctive Moon squares ambitious Mars, stirring your 5th House of Play and your 2nd House of Cash together.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Creative courage returns as the instinctive Moon conjoins mischievous Mercury in your 5th House of Play, urging you to express whatever stirs within.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Improving robot performance By combining Agile Robots’ hardware and AI systems with Google DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics foundation models, the firms aim to improve robotic performance through real-world deployment, data collection, model training, and continuous iteration.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Robots are a long way from being able to accomplish the full range of tasks that a human can do, but prioritizing robotic activities could lower the exposure that people have to the hazards of space.—
Scott Solomon,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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The sudden rise of Tyler Ballgame from the Eagle Rock scene is something Perry seems to feel some ambivalence about.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The scheme, which uses single-button presses to deploy impressive moves, appears easy to learn on the surface, but Quarter Up layered complexity through the tag mechanic and defensive options to create depth.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
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The first Meat Castle series is Hands On, in which Scherr, a former tradesman and mechanic, tries his hand at a new unique craft in each episode, diving headfirst into the skilled professions that power the American dream.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-jerk. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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