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
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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.
Out of the 3,319 shares Mosley received, and the 1,695 shares Romano received, both automatically sold off a portion strictly to cover the resulting tax obligations.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
So, your sons wouldn’t automatically jump into a higher federal tax bracket just by receiving the inheritance.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026
The States said parents on income support would not need to apply and they would automatically be given the bonus in August.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
And while seven other states also automatically mail voters ballots, experts say it’s hard to make direct comparisons with California.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
He lets out a laugh, and I automatically duck, thinking that mischievous glint in his eyes means he’s going to whack me upside the head.
From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender
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.
