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.
Having contributions automatically deducted from people’s paychecks to an emergency savings account can help workers stay on track with their goals even when prices rise, Miller said.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
The agreement will be "automatically ratified" if approved by a majority of voters, according to the union's lawyer.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
He also said animateurs would be automatically suspended after a single complaint had been lodged.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
Now, when an order arrives for 1,200 cakes, the new system automatically calculates exactly how many eggs and how much powdered sugar need to be on hand for the bakers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
People couldn’t stop talking about how computers would automatically glitch when the year switched from 1999 to 2000.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
