automate

American  

[aw-tuh-meyt] / ˈɔ təˌmeɪt /

verb (used with object)

automated, automating

1. to apply the principles of automation to (a mechanical process, industry, office, etc.).

2. to operate or control by automation.

3. to displace or make obsolete by automation (often followed byout ).

   The unskilled jobs are going to be automated out.

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verb (used without object)

automated, automating

1. to install automatic procedures, as for manufacturing or servicing; follow or utilize the principles of automation.

   Many banks have begun to automate.

automate British  

/ ˈɔːtəˌmeɪt /

verb

1. to make (a manufacturing process, factory, etc) automatic, or (of a manufacturing process, etc) to be made automatic

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Other Word Forms

• automatable
  adjective
• de-automate
  verb
• nonautomated
  adjective
• unautomated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of automate

First recorded in 1950–55; back formation from automation

Explanation

When you design a machine to complete a process once done by a human, you automate the process. Standardized tests once had to be graded by hand, now they're automated, i.e. done by computers. If you automate a factory, workers might lose jobs to robots and machines. A century ago, if you did laundry, you had to turn the clothes in the drum by hand. It was really hard work, so hard that in many families one day was set aside as laundry day and everyone had to help. In 1937, the first electric, or automated, washer was sold, with a motor that turned the drum. Since then, the job has become much easier, though most of us still find it a chore.

Example Sentences

Emotional intelligence and character are going to matter more than they’ve mattered in the past, because the hardest things to automate are the things that depend on relationships.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

AI is democratizing innovation, meaning anyone can now create, automate and experiment.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

While some experts say the role AI has been playing is overblown, advancements in technology have also made it possible to generate code and automate other tasks.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

On Tuesday, the company announced 10 new AI agents that help automate what it described as the most common forms of financial work, among them, building pitchbooks, closing the books and drafting credit memos.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Or they are reduced to a stereotyped repertory that is easy to mechanize, to automate, and finally, to do away with.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai

Related Words

• automatize
• mechanize