knee jerk

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Everyone recognizes there is a growing antibiotic resistance crisis, and the knee jerk reaction is to develop new antibiotics," You added.

From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2024

Unite's deputy regional secretary, Davy Thompson, said minimum service levels are "the most invidious example of knee jerk legislating this country has seen in a long time".

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2024

“I feel changing it because of criminal activity is a knee jerk rection and it’s not going to change anything,” she said last week.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 24, 2022

“It wouldn’t surprise us if the knee jerk reaction was to sell and the end of the day we’d be higher.’

From Reuters • Mar. 21, 2022

Anxious attention to the knee jerk inhibits it; gritting the teeth or clenching the fist reinforces it.

From Psychology A Study Of Mental Life by Woodworth, Robert S.