autopilot

noun

au·​to·​pi·​lot ˈȯ-tō-ˌpī-lət How to pronounce autopilot (audio)
1
: a device for automatically steering ships, aircraft, and spacecraft
also : the automatic control provided by such a device
2

Examples of autopilot in a Sentence

an airplane equipped with an autopilot The plane was flying on autopilot.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
And above all, treat it as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 With the annual fee climbing to nearly $900, the Amex Platinum is no longer a card most travelers can keep on autopilot. Katherine Fan, AFAR Media, 18 Sep. 2025 The pilot obliges — and then the co-pilot flips off the autopilot function. Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025 The pilots agreed, took the plane off autopilot, and a very drunk Sheen was able to fly and steer the A330 somewhere over the Atlantic with 200 other passengers onboard. Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for autopilot

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of autopilot was in 1917

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Autopilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autopilot. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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