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
Guard against knee-jerk reactions today.
—
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The commitment angst plaguing Charlie and Emma over Emma’s secret seems to have a lot to do with several contemporary concerns—mixed messaging about gender roles, confusion over what constitutes a moral failing—that yield knee-jerk responses.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Admittedly, my own knee-jerk reaction landed in this category.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
The commitment angst plaguing Charlie and Emma over Emma’s secret seems to have a lot to do with several contemporary concerns—mixed messaging about gender roles, confusion over what constitutes a moral failing—that yield knee-jerk responses.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Admittedly, my own knee-jerk reaction landed in this category.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-jerk
Adjective
-
Muncy's fly to left field scored Jacob Wilson, who began the inning as the automatic runner at second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Denzel Clarke.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
During a routine maneuver in late February, Voyager 1's power levels fell unexpectedly, bringing the probe dangerously close to triggering an automatic fault-protection shutdown — a self-preservation response that would have forced engineers into a lengthy and risky recovery process.—
Willem Marx,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That reflex delays care and erodes trust.—
Liz Koch,
STAT,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The ten seconds that led to the Braylon Mullins’ miracle shot were a series of reflex plays, reactions, the ultimate in instincts taking over, living in the split second, rather than in the moment.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Driving through deep water can also affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Driving through deep water can also negatively affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Investigators say the trip appeared far from spontaneous.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
His content is best known for his spontaneous interactions, such as stopping to talk with strangers on the roadside or offering impromptu taxi services.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Delane is an instinctive defender with a quality skill set for the next level.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The instinctive Moon conjoins responsible Saturn in your 11th House of Humanity, guiding your interactions with teams and allies.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Before investing millions more yen in robotic experiments, the next policy response might be to meaningfully lift wages as part of a broader effort to restore dignity and status to the work itself.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
To test the material, the researchers developed an electronic skin and attached it to a robotic hand.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The sudden departure comes just a day after Phelan addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the Navy’s annual conference in Washington, and spoke with reporters about his agenda.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Now, however, a study published today in Nature is challenging this sedate view, suggesting instead that the solar system’s first solids stormed into being much faster from sudden temperature shifts in the disk’s turbulent maelstrom.—
Javier Barbuzano,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Potholes may go unfilled, Davis said, and drivers may have to make unplanned trips to the mechanic shop to fix their tires as a result.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
And soon after another brother and mechanic William Davidson joined the team.—
Ricardo Torres,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-jerk. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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