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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of knee-jerk
Most importantly, never let yourself be rushed into making a knee-jerk reaction, no matter how much urgency is injected into a conversation.
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Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
But this knee-jerk reaction could be a Trojan horse.
—Roomy Khan, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
The criminals rely upon this alarm, this fear, to produce a knee-jerk and panicked reaction from the reader.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
Near-term volatility surrounding this week’s FOMC announcement may generate a knee-jerk bounce, but our intermediate-term indicators ultimately support a breakdown.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for knee-jerk 
Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
But this knee-jerk reaction could be a Trojan horse.
—Roomy Khan, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
The criminals rely upon this alarm, this fear, to produce a knee-jerk and panicked reaction from the reader.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
Near-term volatility surrounding this week’s FOMC announcement may generate a knee-jerk bounce, but our intermediate-term indicators ultimately support a breakdown.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for knee-jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-jerk
Adjective
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The incentive is selective, not automatic, and has a cap of $6.6BN (JPY1BN).Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024
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Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Virginia do have automatic recounts, but not for the presidential race.Addy Bink, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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For one thing, markets had not significantly anticipated a Trump win in 2016, and indeed there was a reflex selloff on election night, which quickly reversed.Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024
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Based on the title character from the Netflix show Vida the Vet, this kit contains five sensory toys for treating patients, including a stethoscope with sound effects and reflex hammer.Pamela Brill, Parents, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Anyone trying to stand in the technology’s way is as hopeless as the manual weavers who resisted the mechanical looms in the early 19th century.Nir Eisikovits, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
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The team is currently working on creating an improved coating that can reduce FOG deposits in sewers by enhancing both its self-healing capabilities and mechanical strength.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Those who prefer the polite style may struggle to convey romantic interest in ways that feel exciting or spontaneous, leading to slower relational development.Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
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As the sun sets, New York invites spontaneous adventures, from moonlit strolls in Central Park to late-night escapades in chic speakeasies.SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Like a corporate fire drill, this preparation meant that when real issues arose, our response was instinctive rather than reactive.Sidharth Ramsinghaney, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Baker is an athletic, instinctive and versatile playmaker who can wreck a game if he’s not properly accounted for.Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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This set of efforts is essential to enable a safe and societally stable transition to a more automated future, where cost, precision, and robotic flexibility converge with human well-being.Amir Husain, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
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Miso Robotics has a lot riding on its ability to persuade fast-food chains to incorporate Flippy -- a robotic arm that drops fryer baskets into sizzling oil -- into their kitchens.Queenie Wong Los Angeles Times (TNS), arkansasonline.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The reasons why election watchers may see sudden changes in Kamala Harris' or Donald Trump's standing in the most competitive states is largely influenced by two factors: how absentee ballots are processed and the population density of an area.Graham Kates, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
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Since the intelligence agencies do not usually bother to debunk such individual bits of false propaganda, the sudden flurry of public notifications indicates the severity of the threat that U.S. spies now see in the underlying Russian plot against the election.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Harroun installed it with a bracket above the dashboard rather than have a mechanic ride in the race with him, as was the custom of the day.George Petras, USA TODAY, 24 May 2024
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When Part 4 was released in August 2023, mechanic Bennie was losing his garage.Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Apr. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near knee-jerk
Cite this Entry
“Knee-jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-jerk. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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