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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Recent Examples of knee-jerk
Whatever happens, guard against knee-jerk reactions.
—
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
That is partly out of knee-jerk complicity with the culture of leadership and celebrity worship.
—Aleksandar Hemon, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
While not a typical incident, situations like this can happen in any restaurant kitchen—the knee-jerk reaction is nearly understandable.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Admittedly, my own knee-jerk reaction landed in this category.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
That is partly out of knee-jerk complicity with the culture of leadership and celebrity worship.
—Aleksandar Hemon, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
While not a typical incident, situations like this can happen in any restaurant kitchen—the knee-jerk reaction is nearly understandable.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Admittedly, my own knee-jerk reaction landed in this category.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-jerk
Adjective
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Still, the majority negative opinions about the president don't appear to translate into an automatic boon for Democrats.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
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While riding mowers include safety functions such as automatic shut-offs, blade brakes, and rollover protection, the sheer size of the machine increases the injury risk if it is not properly handled.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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After your baby is born progesterone (which inhibits breastmilk production) drops and prolactin, which controls milk volume, and oxytocin, which triggers the let-down reflex increases, explains Nadine Rosenblum, the perinatal lactation program coordinator at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
16 Feb. 2026
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This local reflex system reduces damage, improves safety and makes interactions feel more natural.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The researchers found that the cells retained mechanical integrity under bending, stretching, and compression.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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For instance, multilayer plastic bags — those that hold snack chips, candy and coffee beans — are the scourge of municipal garbage haulers because they cannot be recycled, and if put in the blue bins, can damage mechanical sorting machines.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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His response was considered a striking, and spontaneous, moral condemnation of McCarthy’s excesses.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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The spontaneous pep talk from Madonna came shortly before Glenn competed on the ice for the women’s short, which ended with the American at 13th place in the overall skater standings.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Allen is productive and instinctive.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
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The instinctive Moon slips into your 6th House of Work, nudging you to adjust routines so your energy stretches further.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lunar rocks and soil offered novel insights into the moon’s origin and composition, and more recent analysis of previously untouched Apollo samples, as well as samples retrieved by robotic missions, revealed the surprising discovery of water trapped in rocks thought to be bone-dry.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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The Paiza Collection’s 160 butlers go through an extensive training program, and what that produces isn’t just robotic precision but also a culture of genuinely warm hospitality.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Two years before Tony Clark’s sudden resignation made Bruce Meyer the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, Meyer composed a letter to quiet the union members calling for his ouster.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The Major League Baseball Players Association has elected a new executive director following the sudden departure of Tony Clark, who had led the union for over a decade.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Rosalba worked in the accounting department of a mail order catalog company and later helped her husband run a mechanic shop in Granada Hills.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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Approximately 55 bus driver, bus monitor and mechanic roles will be cut.—
Kathryn Muchnick,
Louisville Courier Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-jerk. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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