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Glite Dictionary
to act reflexively

to act reflexively

1 6.3
React quickly without thinking
  • phrasal verb
: actuar de forma reflexiva
  • Whenever startled, she tends to act reflexively rather than consider her response.

Examples

  • Many animals act reflexively when they sense danger, moving instantly to protect themselves.

  • If you act reflexively in stressful situations, you might regret your decisions later.

  • He tends to act reflexively when startled.

  • Do you act reflexively in stressful situations?

  • Many animals act reflexively when they sense danger, moving instantly to protect themselves.

  • If you act reflexively in stressful situations, you might regret your decisions later.

  • Whenever startled, she tends to act reflexively rather than consider her response.

Synonyms

to act involuntarily
vsto act reflexively
1 6.5

Do something without meaning to or being in control

responds automatically to a stimulus without conscious thought

How Automatic

to act reflexively
1 6.3
to react
795 2.8
to respond
∞ 1.0
to consider
∞ 1.1

Surface Forms

act reflexively infinitive
acted reflexively past
acted reflexively past participle
acting reflexively present participle
acts reflexively third person singular

Morphology

act + reflexively

The meaning 'to respond automatically without conscious thought' is directly and compositionally derived from 'act' (to do something) modified by 'reflexively' (involuntary/automatic); there is no idiomatic shift. This manner-adverb construction is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Act reflexively comes from the body's reflex action, like the quick knee-jerk when a doctor taps your knee. That's why it means 'to respond automatically' or 'without thinking'.