autopilot
noun
au·to·pi·lot
ˈȯ-tō-ˌpī-lət 
1
: a device for automatically steering ships, aircraft, and spacecraft
also
: the automatic control provided by such a device
Examples of autopilot in a Sentence
an airplane equipped with an autopilot
The plane was flying on autopilot.
Recent Examples on the Web
The engineers tapped a few figures into their laptops, let autopilot do the rest.
—
Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Treat them as senior collaborators that need review, not autopilots.
—Asad Khan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The Merlin Pilot system handles much more than a traditional autopilot, using a natural language processing model to listen to instructions from a mock air traffic controller and responding over the radio using a computerized female voice.
—Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
The Ministry of Defense said one Su-35 aircraft flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the unarmed RAF Rivet Joint plane and disable its autopilot.
—Liudas Dapkus, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autopilot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Treat them as senior collaborators that need review, not autopilots.
—Asad Khan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
The Merlin Pilot system handles much more than a traditional autopilot, using a natural language processing model to listen to instructions from a mock air traffic controller and responding over the radio using a computerized female voice.
—Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 24 May 2026
The Ministry of Defense said one Su-35 aircraft flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the unarmed RAF Rivet Joint plane and disable its autopilot.
—Liudas Dapkus, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for autopilot
Cite this Entry
“Autopilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autopilot. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
