automation

American  

[aw-tuh-may-shuhn] / ˌɔ təˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

• automations
  plural

1. the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.

2. a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.

3. act or process of automating.

4. the state of being automated.

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automation British  

/ ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the use of methods for controlling industrial processes automatically, esp by electronically controlled systems, often reducing manpower

2. the extent to which a process is so controlled

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proautomation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• automations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of automation

First recorded in 1945–50; autom(atic) ( def. ) + (oper)ation ( def. )

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Explanation

Automation means making something automatic, or mechanized. If there's smoke in your house and your smoke detector is set up to "call" the fire department, that's an example of automation. Car companies were the first manufacturers to use assembly lines, where the steps of building a car were divided among workers––and when those jobs started to be done more often by machines then by people, an executive at Ford coined the term automation to describe what was happening.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

automation automations

"You're going to see reduced employment, more automation, more robotics being put into facilities, just in order to increase efficiency and make that money go further."

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

"My role focuses on finding practical ways to use technology, automation, data and AI to improve how we operate," says Coventry-based Patel.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

The laundering patterns, with thousands of transactions happening in a short period, suggest the attackers may be using automation to obscure the funds’ origins, according to Chainalysis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

In October 2025, the New York Times reported internal estimates, as summarized by the Verge, that automation could let Amazon avoid more than 160,000 prospective U.S. hires by 2027, saving about 30 cents per item.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

As I detail in the next chapter, we are entering a phase where we are going to see the digitization, virtualization, and automation of more and more everything.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Zietz and co-founder Daniela Muñoz started LemonLime earlier this year as a business that creates AI agents and automations for companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

The company aims to make its 700-plus people self-sufficient, building the automations and AI processes they need themselves.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025

Brown suggests prioritizing bookkeepers and accountants, building automations or hiring someone to generate leads.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

As a result, program traders gave way to more sophisticated automations with much more advanced technology: High-frequency trading.

From Scientific American ● May 19, 2023

Hiring specifically in back-office functions such as human resources will be suspended or slowed, Krishna said, adding that 30% of non-customer-facing roles could be replaced by AI and automations in five years.

From Reuters ● May 1, 2023

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Related Words

• computerization
• industrialization
• mechanization

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