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.
Auto-tracking: Screenless trackers log workouts automatically using movement and pulse readings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Fans who have already registered for Olympic tickets are automatically entered into the Paralympic ticket process, which will begin with the same draw system that started the Olympic ticketing process.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
"In small teams under extreme conditions, more contact doesn't automatically equate to social support, but can actually increase tensions," says Jan Schmutz.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
"I thought i'd get it automatically but I didn't hear anything," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
"Vernesha," she says automatically, as if she's been correcting people's pronunciation of her name all her life.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
