automation

American  

[aw-tuh-may-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

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Etymology

Origin of automation

First recorded in 1945–50; autom(atic) ( def. ) + (oper)ation ( def. )

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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

It builds on an executive directive the mayor signed in April, which aims to cut delays, introduce tech automation and speed up building permits for residential and commercial development.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

And that means more precision farming, more artificial intelligence, and automation.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

But if the great promise of automation is that it gives employees more opportunities to practice hospitality, it’s worth asking what that hospitality looks like when customers scarcely encounter those employees in the first place.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

Walmart executives said the automation should allow the company to process more inventory, faster, and with more precision, reducing the frequency of out-of-stock goods and reducing costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Inside, the hydrofoil gearings for the Pole Star sat in red dimness, clicking gears and whirring automation mechanicals for the sails and hydrofoils and parasail reels.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

We’ve seen improvements in quote automations and in using AI to identify errors in quoting and in requoting, rework, and the speed in which the quote can be produced to the customer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

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

Routines, Shortcuts and other automations probably won’t cure a serious smartphone addiction.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 21, 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

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Related Words

• computerization
• industrialization
• mechanization

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