mechanize

American  

[mek-uh-nahyz] / ˈmɛk əˌnaɪz /

especially British, mechanise

verb (used with object)

mechanized, mechanizing

1. to make mechanical.

2. to operate or perform by or as if by machinery.

3. to introduce machinery into (an industry, enterprise, etc.), especially in order to replace manual labor.

4. Military. to equip with tanks and other armored vehicles.

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mechanize British  

/ ˈmɛkəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to equip (a factory, industry, etc) with machinery

2. to make mechanical, automatic, or monotonous

3. to equip (an army, etc) with motorized or armoured vehicles

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Other Word Forms

• mechanization noun
• mechanizer noun
• unmechanized adjective

Etymology

Origin of mechanize

First recorded in 1695–1705; mechan(ic) + -ize

Example Sentences

The Defense Ministry’s March document says Ukraine would increase its use of unmanned ground vehicles, such as drones to evacuate casualties, to 80% of its “maneuver brigades,” or mechanized infantry.

From The Wall Street Journal

The sap-syrup yield has never changed: one bucket of syrup from every 40 buckets of sap, making even the most modern, mechanized forms of syrup production very labor intensive.

From The Wall Street Journal

Among the most effective changes were installing deeper cultivation lines, using mechanized equipment for seeding and harvesting, processing kelp on site into a slurry, adjusting vessel sizes and choosing different types of vessels.

From Science Daily

Ms. Casey’s book restores craftsmanship to its central place in the making of beautiful buildings, a timely reminder as our own world moves toward ever more mechanized production.

From The Wall Street Journal

As America moved to mechanized textile mills, telegraphs and urbanization, that created demand for factory workers, machinists and communications clerks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• industrialize
• motorize