knee-jerk

1 of 2

adjective

ˈnē-ˌjərk How to pronounce knee-jerk (audio)
-ˈjərk
: 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

knee jerk

2 of 2

noun

: an involuntary forward kick produced by a light blow on the tendon below the patella

Examples of knee-jerk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
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 What happened in the past may no longer apply to what will happen in the future, and you’re still left making knee-jerk decisions and hoping for the best. Rhett Power, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Given all that, the knee-jerk reaction investors had to NYCB earnings report was warranted and not indicative that the bank was at risk of failing, said David Chiaverini, a managing director at Wedbush Securities covering banks. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 In your insecure, early stages of development, your knee-jerk reaction when an issue is called out, may be to justify your methods, deflect from the point, or shift blame elsewhere. Ebony Flake, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024 The challenge in cultivating a sustainable approach to modern knowledge work is to locate the space between productivity fetishism and the knee-jerk rejection of productivity thinking as toxic or unnecessary. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2024 Cockerill particularly appreciated the opportunity to challenge the knee-jerk sense of annoyance—if not outright disgust—that so many people experience when confronted with an insect by sharing his love for these tiny creatures. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 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.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1958, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of knee-jerk was in 1849

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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 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

knee-jerk

1 of 2 adjective
ˈnē-ˌjərk
: readily predictable : automatic
a knee-jerk reaction to the proposal

knee jerk

2 of 2 noun
: an involuntary forward kick produced by a light blow on the tendon below the kneecap

Medical Definition

knee jerk

noun
: an involuntary forward jerk or kick produced by a light blow or sudden strain upon the patellar tendon of the knee that causes a reflex contraction of the quadriceps muscle

called also patellar reflex

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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