automatically

American  

[aw-tuh-mat-ik-lee] / ˌɔ təˈmæt ɪk li /

adverb

1. without volition or from force of habit; mechanically.

   Whenever I hear that song, I automatically think of my dad.

2. by a device or process requiring no human intervention.

   The switch can be operated automatically or manually.

3. in a manner independent of a decision or action.

   Your membership will be renewed automatically.

4. (of a firearm) repeatedly for as long as the trigger is pulled.

   a rifle that fires automatically.

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

automatically

Potts and his collaborators had previously shown that photons leaving the cavity should not automatically be treated as "waste heat" in a thermodynamic description.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026

How quickly the brain and body react after tripping — with your foot automatically thrusting forward, for example, to prevent yourself from face-planting — is what plyometrics trains for.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Even if they already have a ChatGPT account, the platform will automatically place teens in the new under-18 experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Second, people assume that rate hikes are automatically bad for stocks and rate cuts are automatically good.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

“White-tailed kites don’t live in Hawai‘i,” I answer automatically.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• commonly
• faithfully
• frequently
• repeatedly
• routinely
• systematically
• usually