as in reflex
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Recent Examples of Pavlovian
Drivers build lives around parking: the work shifts altered to align with the alternate-side-rotation hours, the keys always in the pocket, the Pavlovian alertness at the chirp of an unlocking car.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
The clack-clack-clack of the spinning wheel and the announcing of the winning number tends to elicit a Pavlovian response from the audience.
—David Andreatta, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Nostalgia plays a part too, of course, as those of us who came of age in the VHS era have an almost Pavlovian response to the look and feel of those chunky black tapes.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
Every other outcome only reinforces his Pavlovian impulse to belittle, attack and dominate.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 May 2024
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
The clack-clack-clack of the spinning wheel and the announcing of the winning number tends to elicit a Pavlovian response from the audience.
—David Andreatta, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
After a decade, my body reacts in a Pavlovian way to its stimuli, the scroll of torsos, the dopamine of a red dot notification, a three-toned beep that perks you up in your chair.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 11 Feb. 2025
Nostalgia plays a part too, of course, as those of us who came of age in the VHS era have an almost Pavlovian response to the look and feel of those chunky black tapes.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025
Those who follow the teachings of Warren Buffett know only to invest via index funds in a Pavlovian fashion.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2024
Every other outcome only reinforces his Pavlovian impulse to belittle, attack and dominate.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Pavlovian
Adjective
-
The Loewe Grand inicio is a powerful two-way speaker with a bass reflex system and is available as a floor-standing speaker.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
-
Apart from the reflex response to a jump scare, the purpose of almost any horror movie is to disturb you.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Be aware that subconscious resistance may push against intellectual exploration under the Aquarius moon.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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But intuition is intelligence in another form—one rooted in experience, subconscious synthesis and emotional truth.—
Paige Williams,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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For many nations on the continent, the need for the EU is visceral.—
Mark Sappenfield,
Christian Science Monitor,
22 May 2025
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The objects on view are visceral, drawing us into three decades of Elster’s creative practices.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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As the protagonist Ben in Night of the Living Dead (1968), Duane Jones unveiled a distinct facet of pre-conditioned Black martyrdom.—
Malik Peay,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2023
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Is the show of regret a conditioned response associated with receiving a less severe punishment?—
Charlotte Hu,
Discover Magazine,
31 July 2011
Adjective
-
That was intentional, but a little bit more subliminal.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
27 May 2025
-
Among the greatest risks of AI, according to experts and the people interviewed for this story, are questionable veracity (deepfakes and misinformation), subliminal manipulation of human behavior, lack of diverse opinions, invasion of privacy, lack of transparency and concentration of power.—
Jennifer Green,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Many professionals often sense it as a creeping loss of perspective—when enthusiasm fades, originality wanes and decision making becomes reactive.—
Rob Robinson,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
Expert advice Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in power banks, are filled with materials which are highly reactive and highly flammable, according to Sonya Brown, senior lecturer in aerospace design at the University of New South Wales in Australia.—
Francesca Street,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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However, once again, Indiana found some magic behind Aaron Nesmith's 20-point fourth quarter and unconscious three-point shooting and came back to force overtime on a Haliburton step-back jumper that bounced high off of the rim and fell down through.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
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When teens begin dying in their dreams—each claimed by a disfigured man with a glove of knives—the boundary between waking life and unconscious terror erodes.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Freeman has received automatic annual 3% raises, according to her contracts.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
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But Spurs came in through the Champions League backdoor this week, beating Manchester United in the final of the second-tier European tournament, the Europa League, to win an automatic UCL slot.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pavlovian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pavlovian. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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