knee-jerk reaction

knee-jerk reaction

Any spontaneous, reflexive, and unthinking reaction or response. I know my knee-jerk reaction to the film's ending was mostly negative, but over time I've come to appreciate its subtlety and poignancy. Unsurprisingly, there has been a knee-jerk reaction from many parents to have the book banned from schools.
See also: reaction
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

knee-jerk reaction

Fig. an automatic or reflex reaction; an immediate reaction made without examining causes or facts. With one of his typical knee-jerk reactions, he said no immediately, citing some moral argument that no one understood.
See also: reaction
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • a gut reaction
  • gut reaction
  • gut reaction to (something)
  • gut reaction to something
  • reckon upon (someone or something)
  • without (even) batting an eye
  • without (even) batting an eyelash
  • without (even) blinking an eye
  • without batting an eye
  • without blinking an eye
References in periodicals archive
"Kashmir is our internal matter and Pakistan's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties is a knee-jerk reaction. Both countries must take adequate steps to ensure the progress of Kartarpur Corridor is not jeopardized in light of @pid_gov decision to downgrade diplomatic relations with India," he tweeted.
"We decided quite early in the week the team we were going to play, and it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to last weekend," insisted Ross.
DECISIONS being taken by the education ministry for public schools are increasingly the product of knee-jerk reactions rather than studies and research.
"The new rules are not necessarily a knee-jerk reaction but just the GAA looking at itself as it always does in a way that, you know, 'can we improve the game?'.
"It seems a knee-jerk reaction from the government.
Live football Sky Premier League, 5.30pm KNEE-JERK reactions seem to have become jerkier than ever this season with teams being labelled crisis clubs and players written off as flops after a tiny sample of games, writes James Milton.
"We want to tell madam Kariuki that knee-jerk reactions are a sign of weakness, cluelessness, inept and incompetent leadership.
"The market was up in the morning, but as soon as the news on interception started coming in there was a knee-jerk reaction," said an analyst who did not wished to named.
Dionardo Carlos said the purchase of body cameras appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction to alleged abuses and handheld radios could prove more helpful in operations.
It is said that the fall in futures prices on Tuesday was a knee-jerk reaction to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) data, however, the market was seen recovering.
A PICTURE of a drowned child appears in the world press and the knee-jerk reaction of the bleeding hearts is "we must do more for the refugees".
NORWICH chairman Alan Bowkett maintains the club are not about to make a "knee-jerk reaction" following a frustrating start to the new Premier League season - but warned manager Chris Hughton that dealing with constant pressure is all part of his job.
FANS' leaders claim erecting netting to prevent missiles being thrown at players would be a knee-jerk reaction.
The proposed elimination of visa on arrival for citizens of many Western countries appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to the recent issue of foreigners entering the country to join anti-government protests.
KENNY Dalglish insists there will be no knee-jerk reaction to his side's worst display since he returned for a second spell as Liverpool manager but has warned further repeats will not be accepted.