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

2

: automatic pilot sense 2

Examples of autopilot in a Sentence

an airplane equipped with an autopilot

The plane was flying on autopilot.

Recent Examples on the Web

The post quickly drew over 60,000 likes, with commenters sharing their own stories of post‑shift autopilot moments and praising Skinner for finding humor in exhaustion. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026

Meantime, major airline executives including those at Delta, United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are pressuring Congress to end the shutdown and — in the longer term — enact new laws to effectively put TSA pay on autopilot. —Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026

Habits keep the brain operating on autopilot. —Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026

For example, a parent who doesn't normally do daycare drop-off may drive straight to work on accident; a brain working on autopilot forgets to stop at daycare and the parent spends hours at work before the tragedy is discovered. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

auto- + pilot entry 1, as shortening of automatic pilot

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for autopilot

• eyelet
• islet
• pilot
• stylet