automatically
Americanadverb
-
without volition or from force of habit; mechanically.
Whenever I hear that song, I automatically think of my dad.
-
by a device or process requiring no human intervention.
The switch can be operated automatically or manually.
-
in a manner independent of a decision or action.
Your membership will be renewed automatically.
-
(of a firearm) repeatedly for as long as the trigger is pulled.
a rifle that fires automatically.
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.
Vocabulary lists containing automatically
Space
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Selection Vocabulary 3, Unit 1
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The Lions of Little Rock
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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.
These tools can help commanders by automatically identifying enemy vehicles from drone feeds or tracking ammunition expenditure to predict resupply needs, Matthaidess said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
That warning is important because increasing energy production is not automatically beneficial in every situation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026
This caused the train's emergency brakes to be applied automatically.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
When risk-free rates rise, corporate borrowing costs go up automatically.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
“When you’re looking for a dinosaur, you automatically ignore everything that isn’t it,” I tell him.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
