automatic

adjective

au·to·mat·ic | \ ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik

Definition of automatic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : largely or wholly involuntary especially : reflex sense 5 automatic blinking of the eyelids

b : acting or done spontaneously or unconsciously the automatic applause of the audience

c : done or produced as if by machine : mechanical the answers were automatic

2 : having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism an automatic transmission

3 of a firearm : firing repeatedly until the trigger is released

automatic

noun

Definition of automatic (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a machine or apparatus that operates automatically especially : an automatic firearm

2a : an automatic transmission a car with a three-speed automatic

b : an automobile with an automatic transmission Is your car an automatic or a manual?

3 American football : audible

Other Words from automatic Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about automatic

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Other Words from automatic

Adjective

automatically \ -ti-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb

automaticity \ -mə-ˈti-sə-tē

, -ma- \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for automatic

Adjective

spontaneous, impulsive, instinctive, automatic, mechanical mean acting or activated without deliberation. spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness. a spontaneous burst of applause impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment. impulsive acts of violence instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will. blinking is an instinctive reaction automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response. his denial was automatic mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response. a mechanical teaching method

Examples of automatic in a Sentence

Adjective

Without thinking, he gave an automatic reply. She always has an automatic smile for everyone.

Noun

Will your next car be a manual or an automatic?

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

When the 2020 Silverado arrives this fall, more than half of the trim levels will be available with the 6.2-liter V8 that's paired with a 10-speed automatic. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "Chevy adds new 460 lb.-ft. Duramax to 2020 Silverado 1500 lineup," 2 July 2019 Indicator lights show the battery remaining (1 to 5 dots), power mode (off, 1, 2, or 3), and the lighting status (off, on, or automatic). — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, "Brompton Electric bike review: remarkably practical," 2 July 2019 Better yet, make enrollment automatic — an increasingly common and effective option to start people saving. — Washington Post, "Liz Weston: How to nag new coworkers to save for retirement," 1 July 2019 Better yet, make enrollment automatic — an increasingly common and effective option to start people saving. — Liz Weston, chicagotribune.com, "Survey: 3 in 10 workers don’t even know if employers offer retirement plans," 1 July 2019 Porowski’s latest deal is a partnership with Saeco, an Italian manufacturer of manual, automatic, and capsule espresso machines. — Rachel King, Fortune, "Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski on Netflix, Social Media, and Opening a Restaurant," 30 June 2019 Its currency-board operations remain passive and automatic. — John Greenwood And, WSJ, "Hong Kong’s Economy Is Going Strong," 24 June 2019 As long as the car is in park, drivers can race on 22 tracks, using the steering wheel and brake pedal to control their avatar (acceleration is automatic). — Alex Davies, WIRED, "Bored Charging Your Tesla? Play a Videogame Right in Your Car," 19 June 2019 The building, with LED lighting, variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning and automatic lighting and ventilation controls, was awarded commercial certification by Build San Antonio Green. — Scott Huddleston, ExpressNews.com, "New county building offers security, convenience on San Antonio’s North Side," 13 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Until warmed up, the six-speed automatic can feel hesitant, with shifts hurried to higher gears for higher fuel economy. — (james Halfacre), San Diego Union-Tribune, "2019 Mazda3: elevated design, distinct character," 8 June 2019 In 1996, after 35 people died at the hands of a gunman with a semi-automatic, Australia banned semi-automatics. — Zac Fleming, Harper's BAZAAR, "New Zealand Banned Guns After Thoughts and Prayers. Why Can’t America?," 23 Mar. 2019 Gun stores in New Zealand sold out of semi-automatics as gun enthusiasts panic-bought in the wake of a ban. — Zac Fleming, Harper's BAZAAR, "New Zealand Banned Guns After Thoughts and Prayers. Why Can’t America?," 23 Mar. 2019 The gunman still may have carried out the shooting without bump stocks, but the devices made the shooting much deadlier by turning his semiautomatic weapons into guns that closely simulated automatics. — German Lopez, Vox, "The Trump administration just banned bump stocks for guns," 18 Dec. 2018 The gunman still may have carried out the shooting without bump stocks, but the devices made the shooting much deadlier by turning his semiautomatic weapons into guns that closely simulated automatics. — German Lopez, Vox, "The Trump administration just banned bump stocks for guns," 18 Dec. 2018 The gunman still may have carried out the shooting without bump stocks, but the devices made the shooting much deadlier by turning his semiautomatic weapons into guns that closely simulated automatics. — German Lopez, Vox, "The Trump administration just banned bump stocks for guns," 18 Dec. 2018 The gunman still may have carried out the shooting without bump stocks, but the devices made the shooting much deadlier by turning his semiautomatic weapons into guns that closely simulated automatics. — German Lopez, Vox, "The Trump administration just banned bump stocks for guns," 18 Dec. 2018 The gunman still may have carried out the shooting without bump stocks, but the devices made the shooting much deadlier by turning his semiautomatic weapons into guns that closely simulated automatics. — German Lopez, Vox, "The Trump administration just banned bump stocks for guns," 18 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'automatic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near automatic

automated

automated teller

automated teller machine

automatic

automatic block signal

automatic coverage

automatic currency

Statistics for automatic

Last Updated

13 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for automatic

The first known use of automatic was in 1686

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More Definitions for automatic

automatic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of automatic

(Entry 1 of 2)

of a machine or device : having controls that allow something to work or happen without being directly controlled by a person

of a gun : shooting many bullets very quickly when the trigger is pulled

: happening or done without deliberate thought or effort

automatic

noun

English Language Learners Definition of automatic (Entry 2 of 2)

: a gun that shoots many bullets very quickly : an automatic weapon

: a vehicle that changes gears by itself at different speeds : a car with automatic transmission

See the full definition for automatic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

automatic

adjective

au·to·mat·ic | \ ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik

Kids Definition of automatic

1 : involuntary automatic blinking of eyelids

2 : being a machine or device that allows something to work without being directly controlled by a person an automatic washer

automatic

adjective

au·to·mat·ic

Legal Definition of automatic

: happening or existing through the operation of a preexisting arrangement that is triggered by some event specifically : happening or existing through the operation of law automatic reversal an automatic appeal