automation

American  

[aw-tuh-mey-shuhn] / ˌɔ təˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

• automations
  plural

1. 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.

2. a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.

3. act or process of automating.

4. the state of being automated.

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automation British  

/ ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the use of methods for controlling industrial processes automatically, esp by electronically controlled systems, often reducing manpower

2. the extent to which a process is so controlled

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proautomation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• automations
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

automation automations

The automation software firm handily beat revenue expectations among analysts polled by FactSet.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

The company has closed or consolidated over 20 manufacturing facilities in the past several years while deploying robotic automation and AI to streamline operations on everything from product development to supply chains and manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Military technology has been moving steadily toward greater automation for decades, Jenkins said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

What is less clear is the impact of such sweeping automation in a country that sits at the heart of global manufacturing, trade and innovation.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

One of the many reasons for this decline is the replacement of workers through the use of robots and other forms of automation that require fewer workers, even those with advanced skills.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Now, you can create these automations just by describing what you want.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025

The company aims to make its 700-plus people self-sufficient, building the automations and AI processes they need themselves.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025

Brown suggests prioritizing bookkeepers and accountants, building automations or hiring someone to generate leads.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

As a result, program traders gave way to more sophisticated automations with much more advanced technology: High-frequency trading.

From Scientific American ● May 19, 2023

Hiring specifically in back-office functions such as human resources will be suspended or slowed, Krishna said, adding that 30% of non-customer-facing roles could be replaced by AI and automations in five years.

From Reuters ● May 1, 2023

Related Words

• computerization
• industrialization
• mechanization