operant

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of operant Researchers then had both groups compete against pain-free mice in a standard motivational test called a progressive ratio (PR) operant test, in which tasty treats become progressively harder to earn. Ben Thomas, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2014 The current study investigated domestic cat preferences at the individual and population level using a free operant preference assessment. Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2017 Bradfield probably could have parlayed that success into some sort of cushy position with Burnett, but his operant mode was reinvention. Susan Orlean, The New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2022 As such, mobile games have developed into monsters psychologically tuned to rip thousands out of players vulnerable enough to be operant conditioned into a game addiction. Clem Chambers, Forbes, 8 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for operant
Adjective
  • The company discontinued the 5.7-liter engine amid tightening fuel economy regulations and a companywide push toward electric vehicles and more efficient engines last year under ex-Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
    Michael Wayland, CNBC, 5 June 2025
  • These coverage losses were avoidable with better, more efficient communication.
    Lisa Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Rhode is dedicated to making products based in science and great formulation, simplifying many of the mysteries and complex narratives behind efficacious skincare.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 29 May 2025
  • If price controls are adopted in the U.S., then patients living with Alzheimer’s disease, pancreatic cancer, or muscular dystrophy may end up waiting in vain for efficacious treatments.
    Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Will prospective politicos and those holding positions of power prompt effectual projects to maintain upkeep and ensure each and every citizen is safe rather than pushing self-serving, divisive social agendas?
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2024
  • Others argue even if wilderness therapy is effectual for some, its premise is flawed.
    Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Adjective
  • Therefore the May revise, as it’s dubbed, is likely to contain even more expedient fixes that may postpone the day of fiscal reckoning until Newsom’s governorship ends two years hence but will continue to plague his successor and the Legislature.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
  • The discomforts include not just his recent and possibly expedient diagnosis of bipolar disorder but also the return of the other prodigal, Nazareth.
    Jesse Green, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet the most effective way for organizations to manage conflict informally and quickly is to embed accountability for resolving issues at every level.
    Anna Shields, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Dental Care with Heart: The Power of Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, manage, and respond to emotions, and is a cornerstone of effective healthcare.
    Jon Stojan, USA Today, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Operant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/operant. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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