muscle memory

American  

[muhs-uhl mem-uh-ree] / ˈmʌs əl ˌmɛm ə ri /

noun

1. Psychology, Physiology. the ability, acquired through repetition, to complete a particular muscular movement quickly, efficiently, and without conscious effort.

---

Etymology

Origin of muscle memory

First recorded in 1885–90

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

muscle memory

Trainers used manual manipulation to find Diaz’ ideal arm slot and build muscle memory, and he was quickly cleared to resume throwing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

"What you worry about is the repeated shocks are building a muscle memory of what it means to raise prices, and that's the exact thing the Federal Reserve is tasked to avert," she said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

The team practised penalties regularly and sought to replicate, as far as possible, the actual experience in training to help the process become more driven by muscle memory.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

“Households and firms have just lived through a large inflation shock and may be more sensitive to rising costs. The muscle memory is fresh,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

The familiarity isn’t just in my head, it’s in my bones; it’s muscle memory.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---