automatism
noun
au·tom·a·tism
ȯ-ˈtä-mə-ˌti-zəm 
1
a
: the quality or state of being automatic
b
: an automatic action
2
: the moving or functioning (as of an organ, tissue, or a body part) without conscious control that occurs either independently of external stimuli (as in the beating of the heart) or under the influence of external stimuli (as in pupil dilation)
3
: a theory that views the body as a machine and consciousness as a noncontrolling adjunct of the body
4
: suspension of the conscious mind to release subconscious images
automatism—the surrealist trend toward spontaneity and intuition—
Elle
ElleExamples of automatism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the club, time allows automatisms and structure to become habit.
—Philipp Lahm, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Their players look connected, know where each other are and play with fluidity and automatism.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
French critic Laurent Jenny, in a piece translated by Thomas Trezise, contrasts Breton and Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, who, beginning in 1930, challenged some of the ideas of automatism.
—Allison C. Meier, JSTOR Daily, 19 Sep. 2024
Psychic automatism is a dubious technique but a splendid alibi, enabling many of the artists in the exhibition to get away with imagery that, if not outright cliché, looks a lot like it.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Acquaintance with surrealists who’d washed up in New York in the early 1940s introduced Motherwell to artistic automatism: spontaneous creation, without a plan.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 16 June 2023
There are many reasons why André Breton, the ringleader of the Surrealists, after first embracing Jacob’s work, eventually rejected it, but chief among them was probably his recognition that Jacob’s literary discipline left no room for the automatism that was so important to Breton.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 25 Feb. 2021
Van Norman, however, points out that some exhibit spinal automatism, a complex spectrum of movements including flexion of limbs and trunk, stepping motions, grasping motions, and head turning.
—Dick Teresi, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2012
Other analysts countered that the defense would be successful in only a minuscule number of cases and that there is a difference between extreme intoxication and extreme intoxication akin to automatism.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 13 May 2022
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Philipp Lahm, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Their players look connected, know where each other are and play with fluidity and automatism.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
French critic Laurent Jenny, in a piece translated by Thomas Trezise, contrasts Breton and Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, who, beginning in 1930, challenged some of the ideas of automatism.
—Allison C. Meier, JSTOR Daily, 19 Sep. 2024
Psychic automatism is a dubious technique but a splendid alibi, enabling many of the artists in the exhibition to get away with imagery that, if not outright cliché, looks a lot like it.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Acquaintance with surrealists who’d washed up in New York in the early 1940s introduced Motherwell to artistic automatism: spontaneous creation, without a plan.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 16 June 2023
There are many reasons why André Breton, the ringleader of the Surrealists, after first embracing Jacob’s work, eventually rejected it, but chief among them was probably his recognition that Jacob’s literary discipline left no room for the automatism that was so important to Breton.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 25 Feb. 2021
Van Norman, however, points out that some exhibit spinal automatism, a complex spectrum of movements including flexion of limbs and trunk, stepping motions, grasping motions, and head turning.
—Dick Teresi, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2012
Other analysts countered that the defense would be successful in only a minuscule number of cases and that there is a difference between extreme intoxication and extreme intoxication akin to automatism.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 13 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Automatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automatism. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
automatism
noun
au·tom·a·tism
ȯ-ˈtäm-ə-ˌtiz-əm
1
: an automatic action
especially
: any action performed without the doer's intention or awareness
2
: the power or fact of moving or functioning without conscious control either independently of external stimulation (as in the beating of the heart) or more or less directly under the influence of external stimuli (as in the dilating or contracting of the pupil of the eye)
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