automatism

noun

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au·tom·a·tism | \ ȯ-ˈtä-mə-ˌti-zəm

Definition of automatism

1a : 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

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Examples of automatism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But once humans traveling in this manner exhibited the automatism of the technology itself, any interruption entailed a catastrophic return of the anxiety initially repressed. — Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021 Founded by French poet, essayist and critic André Breton, Surrealism rejected the premise that culture and politics should be guided by rational principles, instead elevating dreams, automatism and psychoanalysis. — Isis Davis-marks, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Nov. 2020 While painters like André Masson and Joan Miró practiced visual automatism, others, René Magritte, Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí among them, used meticulous technique to create optical puns and illusions. — Teju Cole, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2016

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

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“Automatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automatism. Accessed 21 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for automatism

automatism

noun

au·tom·a·tism | \ ȯ-ˈtäm-ə-ˌtiz-əm

Medical Definition of automatism

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)