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
Saylor’s defenders, meanwhile, dismiss critics as knee-jerk Bitcoin detractors who don’t understand the currency or the corporate finance techniques underlying Strategy’s operations.
—
Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Questions over his future were confined to the knee-jerk realm of social media after four straight league defeats had derailed Liverpool’s title defence.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Strange New Worlds’s deeply disappointing third season, so please forgive me my current knee-jerk cynicism about genre television.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
The all-too-frequent xenophobic knee-jerk reaction to Latin acts is often triggered by language alone.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Questions over his future were confined to the knee-jerk realm of social media after four straight league defeats had derailed Liverpool’s title defence.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Strange New Worlds’s deeply disappointing third season, so please forgive me my current knee-jerk cynicism about genre television.
—Lily Osler, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2025
The all-too-frequent xenophobic knee-jerk reaction to Latin acts is often triggered by language alone.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-jerk
Adjective
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Membership is automatic for first-time guests who book a stay at rates running $3,000 to $5,000 a night for up to 10 people.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
-
In 2024, some 45% of participants boosted 401(k) deferrals — on their own or as part of their plan’s automatic increases — according to Vanguard’s 2025 How America Saves report, which is based on more than 1,400 plans and nearly 5 million participants.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,
CNBC,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Or just a reflex mean-reversion trade in some laggard sectors at a time when the AI theme has become more fragmented and treacherous?—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
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As a result, reflex time — a mechanic that emulated the slow-motion gunfights of Hard Boiled or The Matrix, or bullet time from Remedy’s Max Payne (2001) — would be a defining aspect of F.E.A.R.’s gameplay.—
Will Borger,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One way engineers capture this bottleneck is through work density – the amount of mechanical energy an actuator can deliver per unit volume, expressed in kilojoules per cubic meter.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Jan. 2026
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Things got off to an inauspicious start when Air Force One was turned back by mechanical issues.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Long afternoons and spontaneous plans unfold on patios and in parks across the city.—
Julia Viele,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
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Wilde explained that the film had many influences, including Mike Nichols and Nora Ephron, but the collaborative writing process and spontaneous shoot was partially inspired by the films of John Cassavetes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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There are many thoughtful touches—a handmade olive wood marquetry backgammon set by Greek company Manopoulos, a full shoe cleaning set, large format Ortigia toiletries plus instinctive and easy to use lighting, shower controls and curtain systems.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
-
With his deep roots in music and an instinctive grasp of culture, Pharrell Williams has often leaned toward a streetwear-forward sensibility, but this collection struck a careful balance.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Organizations should approach this evaluation with realistic expectations about the supervision requirements and plan for hybrid workflows where human operators correct and guide robotic systems through their initial learning phases.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Daniel Chong directs the tale about a teenage animal lover who uses technology to place her consciousness into a robotic beaver in order to uncover mysteries within the animal world.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Loose, fast, and slightly jerky steps, a sudden joy sweeping through the body like a wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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This design helps prevent the air from escaping during sudden movements or changes in orientation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Car lots, mechanic shops, and cafes line a forlorn stretch of Route 66 in central Amarillo, but vibrant art galleries, antique shops, restaurants, a bookstore, and record shop are concentrated in a lively 13-block strip of the famed highway west of the central business district.—
Pam LeBlanc,
Southern Living,
3 Jan. 2026
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In June 2020, the 72-year-old former police officer and mechanic pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder and other crimes in order to avoid the death penalty.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-jerk. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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