automation
Americannoun
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the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.
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a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.
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act or process of automating.
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the state of being automated.
noun
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the use of methods for controlling industrial processes automatically, esp by electronically controlled systems, often reducing manpower
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the extent to which a process is so controlled
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of automation
First recorded in 1945–50; autom(atic) ( def. ) + (oper)ation ( def. )
Explanation
Automation means making something automatic, or mechanized. If there's smoke in your house and your smoke detector is set up to "call" the fire department, that's an example of automation. Car companies were the first manufacturers to use assembly lines, where the steps of building a car were divided among workers––and when those jobs started to be done more often by machines then by people, an executive at Ford coined the term automation to describe what was happening.
Vocabulary lists containing automation
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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President Obama's Farewell Address
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The Industrial Revolution - Introductory
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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.
Goldman Sachs estimates that 300 million jobs globally are vulnerable to AI automation.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Zebra Technologies surged 14% as the maker of automation technology reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and raised its outlook for 2026 on “continued momentum.”
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
The announcement shows that SAP is seeking to modernize and simplify its AI and automation offerings after a few turbulent months for the software industry.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
In the industrious south, automation is reshaping factories and supply chains, and megacities like Chongqing have become the stuff of influencers' feeds.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
As I detail in the next chapter, we are entering a phase where we are going to see the digitization, virtualization, and automation of more and more everything.
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
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.
