Knee-jerk
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Part of speech adjective
Quick meaning: Knee-jerk is an adjective meaning Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable.
Meaning
Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable.
More Meanings
- A sudden reflexive movement of the leg below the knee, as a reaction to a tap to the tendon just below the patella (kneecap).
Example Sentences
He gave a knee-jerk response.
There were knee-jerk demands from trade unions for immediate withdrawal of all HSTs; these were wrong-headed.
The knee-jerk reaction is further evidence of just how panicked investors are about the stability of the global financial system after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last week.
Word Forms
- kneejerk
- knee-jerks
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include impulsive, rash, hurried, hasty, precipitated, precipitate.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.