: an automatic and often inborn response to a stimulus that typically involves a nerve impulse passing inward from a receptor to the spinal cord and then passing outward from the spinal cord to an effector (such as a muscle or gland) without reaching the level of consciousness and often without passing to the brain
the knee-jerk reflex
b
: the process that culminates in a reflex and comprises reception, transmission, and reaction
called alsoreflex action
c
reflexes plural: the power of acting or responding with adequate speed
d
: a way of thinking or behaving
3
: a linguistic element (such as a word or sound) or system (such as writing) that is derived from a prior and especially an older element or system
: produced or carried out in reaction, resistance, or return
4
of an angle: being between 180° and 360°
5
: of, relating to, or produced by a reflex without intervention of consciousness
reflexlyadverb
Example Sentences
Nounreflexes such as swallowing and blinking Disagreeing with my suggestions has become almost a reflex for him. an athlete with great reflexes My reflexes are slower now that I'm older.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In time, though, perhaps people will have honed that reflex, too. Ashley Fetters Maloy, Washington Post, 6 Aug. 2022 The reflex in these cases is always to question the victim and not acknowledge that college football again and again and again lives in a world where the potential for corruption is inherent. Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 5 Aug. 2022 My love for standing out suppressed my anxiety, a reflex that turned out to be perfect for modeling. Marc Myers, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 Some people are more sensitive to this reflex than others. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 12 July 2022 Democrats and their media pals often like to pretend that opposing tax hikes on corporations is merely a Republican political reflex. James Freeman, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 At the end of the exhalation, simply release the abdominal tension, so inhalation occurs as a reflex. Carol Kinsey Goman, Forbes, 6 June 2022 There’s the further, insider virtue that the square shape recalls that of prints from a much-loved classic camera, the Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 25 May 2022 Whereas for him this is almost a reflex that is part of his decision-making process.Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2022
Adjective
This should be a reflex reaction for any campaign that did not perform as expected. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 9 June 2022 After high school, Osman was working as a preschool teacher, and was tasked with taking photos of the children using a reflex camera. Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 27 May 2022 Muscle tension is almost a reflex reaction to stress—the body’s way of guarding against injury and pain. Laken Brooks, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2021 Except in the case of reflex actions, all muscle work begins with an act of conscious willing. Matt Fitzgerald, Outside Online, 19 Jan. 2021 Maddie still wasn't responding to the manual pain and reflex assessments. Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE.com, 13 Jan. 2022 With reflex syncope, her body is unable to appropriately regulate her heart rate and blood pressure, leading to dizziness, nausea, and a loss of consciousness. Jeneé Osterheldt, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Dec. 2021 If the variant was unexpected, the reflex reaction was not.Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2021 There’s also a rear reflex port to extend the speaker’s bass response. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Latin reflexus, past participle of reflectere to reflect