: readily predictable : automatic
knee-jerk reactions
also, disapproving
: reacting in a readily predictable way
The man was such a bleeding-heart knee-jerk liberal that you could predict the rest of the column after reading the first sentence. —
Andrew M. Greeley
Andrew M. Greeley
: an involuntary forward kick produced by a light blow on the tendon below the patella
Synonyms
Examples of knee-jerk in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebHilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
As knee-jerk reactions to AI faded over the course of the year, new theories cropped up about AI’s trajectory.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
But there’s a bit more nuance to what looks like a knee-jerk response to the financial rocket fuel of low interest rates, analysts say.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
None of that might stem the knee-jerk opposition to the four-day week among businesses and their water carriers on Capitol Hill.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
When cholesterol stepped into the spotlight as something bad that clogs your arteries, there was a knee-jerk response to quit eating foods high in cholesterol like egg yolks, shellfish, organ meats, etc.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 29 Feb. 2024
Today, corporate America’s knee-jerk reaction of tapping seemingly anyone and everyone to become a diversity leader has quickly evolved to a significant pruning of the role, with companies like Zoom laying off entire diversity teams, rescinding budgets, and freezing hiring within the function.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
Through knee-jerk millennial instinct, that vulnerable bald skull always flashes me back to those unforgettable photos of Britney Spears at the gas station in 2007—head freshly shaved, eyes blank and wild, umbrella wielded as a machete.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024
At a time when violent crime is at a generational peak, when the knee-jerk response to young criminals is to lock ’em up, Yao is asking us to consider whether maximum sentencing for young offenders is the answer.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024
Alaa Elassar, CNN, 24 July 2023
One of the most common knee jerk reactions is to move assets to cash.
—Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 5 May 2023
Here are some knee jerk reactions: The bullpen is a mess.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 26 Apr. 2023
Sometimes this knee jerk reaction takes on absurd and macabre dimensions, as when a recent New York Times article by reporter Brian M. Rosenthal on the New York City taxi-medallion system laid the blame for a rash of suicides on the shoulders of ‘predatory’ lenders.
—James McCarthy, National Review, 30 Nov. 2020
Paul had 11 assists, but instantly, the knee jerk reaction is Paul won’t be a scoring factor with Durant on the team.
—Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
The knee jerk reaction from many old fashioned meat machines, sorry, humans, is a concern around what this means for their income.
—Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
When the term was explained to the uninitiated, the knee jerk response was that paying attention to ESG (or certainly the E and S parts) was a way for companies and investors to lose money.
—Robert G. Eccles, Forbes, 3 June 2022
Instead of taking the knee jerk reaction of picking up your toys and going home.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 28 Feb. 2022
Adjective
But debate has raged over the effectiveness of the emergency measures that some described as a knee-jerk response to complex social issues.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
As knee-jerk reactions to AI faded over the course of the year, new theories cropped up about AI’s trajectory.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024
But there’s a bit more nuance to what looks like a knee-jerk response to the financial rocket fuel of low interest rates, analysts say.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
None of that might stem the knee-jerk opposition to the four-day week among businesses and their water carriers on Capitol Hill.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
When cholesterol stepped into the spotlight as something bad that clogs your arteries, there was a knee-jerk response to quit eating foods high in cholesterol like egg yolks, shellfish, organ meats, etc.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 29 Feb. 2024
Today, corporate America’s knee-jerk reaction of tapping seemingly anyone and everyone to become a diversity leader has quickly evolved to a significant pruning of the role, with companies like Zoom laying off entire diversity teams, rescinding budgets, and freezing hiring within the function.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
Through knee-jerk millennial instinct, that vulnerable bald skull always flashes me back to those unforgettable photos of Britney Spears at the gas station in 2007—head freshly shaved, eyes blank and wild, umbrella wielded as a machete.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024
At a time when violent crime is at a generational peak, when the knee-jerk response to young criminals is to lock ’em up, Yao is asking us to consider whether maximum sentencing for young offenders is the answer.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
The thing that keeps you from just acting out on your initial knee jerk reaction and from just acting impulsively.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN, 24 July 2023
One of the most common knee jerk reactions is to move assets to cash.
—Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 5 May 2023
Here are some knee jerk reactions: The bullpen is a mess.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 26 Apr. 2023
Sometimes this knee jerk reaction takes on absurd and macabre dimensions, as when a recent New York Times article by reporter Brian M. Rosenthal on the New York City taxi-medallion system laid the blame for a rash of suicides on the shoulders of ‘predatory’ lenders.
—James McCarthy, National Review, 30 Nov. 2020
Paul had 11 assists, but instantly, the knee jerk reaction is Paul won’t be a scoring factor with Durant on the team.
—Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
The knee jerk reaction from many old fashioned meat machines, sorry, humans, is a concern around what this means for their income.
—Q.ai - Powering A Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2023
When the term was explained to the uninitiated, the knee jerk response was that paying attention to ESG (or certainly the E and S parts) was a way for companies and investors to lose money.
—Robert G. Eccles, Forbes, 3 June 2022
Instead of taking the knee jerk reaction of picking up your toys and going home.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 28 Feb. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knee-jerk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near knee-jerk
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knee-jerk. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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