automatically

American  

[aw-tuh-mat-ik-lee] / ˌɔ təˈmæt ɪk li /

adverb

1. without volition or from force of habit; mechanically.

   Whenever I hear that song, I automatically think of my dad.

2. by a device or process requiring no human intervention.

   The switch can be operated automatically or manually.

3. in a manner independent of a decision or action.

   Your membership will be renewed automatically.

4. (of a firearm) repeatedly for as long as the trigger is pulled.

   a rifle that fires automatically.

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Etymology

Origin of automatically

First recorded in 1710–15; automatic ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Explanation

Something that happens automatically happens in a mechanical way without a person having to do anything extra. If you walk through a door that swings open by itself, it opened automatically. When something is done automatically, it does it on its own, like a spellchecker that corrects your spelling automatically. In a crash, a car's airbag automatically fills with air. Many computers automatically go into rest mode (to save energy) if you don't touch them for a few seconds. Automatically can also refer to how you do something without thinking about it, like if you automatically walk into your old apartment and startle the new tenants.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

automatically

Saving fuel by shortening the journey doesn’t automatically make a route profitable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

The records should follow the patient automatically, and the patient should decide who sees them, a new doctor or an AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Up until February 2016, long-term prisoners who had been refused parole were freed automatically after two-thirds of their sentence.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, such groups automatically end after two years unless explicitly renewed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

I automatically reach for two menus, although right away I can see this is going to be something else.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• commonly
• faithfully
• frequently
• repeatedly
• routinely
• systematically
• usually