reptilian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Meditation—it’s not worth it…meditation activates the reptilian freeze mechanism, so it is counterproductive. What works for me is movement and curiosity.”

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

"I have been working on the evolution of reptilian heads and noses since my master's degree," he said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026

The species of crocodylomorph roamed Earth about 215 million years ago during the Triassic period and is believed to have been a fast-moving, land-dwelling predator resembling a "reptilian greyhound".

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

It turns the human brain into a reptilian one and activates the sympathetic nervous system, putting us into fight-or-flight mode — the same one we can get stuck in when we’re chronically lonely.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2025

How we balance the tension between the short-term demands of our reptilian senses—run!—and our longer- term desires, goals, and commitments that we try to set with the more evolved parts of our brains.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel