conditioning

American  

[kuhn-dish-uh-ning] / kənˈdɪʃ ə nɪŋ /

noun

Psychology.

conditionings plural

1. Also called operant conditioning, instrumental conditioning.  a process of changing behavior by rewarding or punishing a subject each time an action is performed until the subject associates the action with pleasure or distress.

2. Also called classical conditioning, Pavlovian conditioning, respondent conditioning.  a process in which a stimulus that was previously neutral, as the sound of a bell, comes to evoke a particular response, as salivation, by being repeatedly paired with another stimulus that normally evokes the response, as the taste of food.

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conditioning British  

/ kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ /

noun

1. psychol the learning process by which the behaviour of an organism becomes dependent on an event occurring in its environment See also classical conditioning instrumental learning

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adjective

1. (of a shampoo, cosmetic, etc) intended to improve the condition of something

   a conditioning rinse

conditioning Scientific  

/ kən-dĭsh′ə-nĭng /

1. See classical conditioning

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-conditioning
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• conditionings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of conditioning

First recorded in 1915–20; condition + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

She reaches for her portable fan which mists the air, as the air conditioning gets going.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

LA28 plans to use nearly all of the soundstages, which are equipped with dedicated set lighting power, high-capacity silent air conditioning, high-speed wired and wireless internet, and adjoining production suites.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

Air conditioning has been in hot demand, with retailers seeing their stock fly off the shelves and units online sell out.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

The freshman lineman was put through rigorous drills by strength and conditioning coach Mark Kulbis, according to the attorney general’s office, even though Kulbis knew Dickey Jr. had sickle-cell trait.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

On the first day of conditioning, we had to go out on a three-mile run to the north shore of the lake and back.

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• assignment
• discipline
• drilling
• homework
• preparation
• repetition
• training
• tryout
• workout