mechanism

noun

mech·a·nism | \ ˈme-kə-ˌni-zəm

Definition of mechanism

1a : a piece of machinery (see machinery sense 1) The camera's shutter mechanism is broken.

b : a process, technique, or system for achieving a result the mechanisms of peace— F. D. Roosevelt

2 : mechanical operation or action : working sense 2 he acknowledges nothing besides matter and motion; so that all must be performed either by mechanism or by accident— Richard Bentley

3 : a doctrine that holds natural processes (as of life) to be mechanically determined and capable of complete explanation by the laws of physics and chemistry

4 : the fundamental processes involved in or responsible for an action, reaction, or other natural phenomenon meteorologists believe that this pressure jump is the mechanism responsible for storms and tornadoes — Think — compare defense mechanism

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Examples of mechanism in a Sentence

The camera's shutter mechanism is broken. Scientists are studying the body's mechanisms for controlling weight. There is no mechanism in place for enforcing the new law. a legal mechanism to prevent lobbyists from exerting unfair influence psychological mechanisms for dealing with a tragic loss

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond the broad appeal and interesting mechanisms, the most intriguing aspect of the game is the psychological element. — Charlie Theel, Ars Technica, "KeyForge: The red-hot card game where every deck is unique—and unchangeable," 15 Dec. 2018 Extreme heat, high humidity, and atmospheric pressure changes are a few triggers some doctors attribute to this mechanism, Hsinlin Cheng, M.D., director of the Headache and Neuropathic Pain Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, tells SELF. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Is It True That the Weather Can Cause a Migraine?," 3 Aug. 2018 The latest compromise calls for Bulgaria to launch a joint application for the Banking Union and the ERM-2 mechanism, known also as the Euro Waiting Room. — Julia Rone, Washington Post, "Bulgaria’s turn to lead the Council of the European Union just ended. How did things go?," 5 July 2018 The state legislature did not pass a funding mechanism for charter schools this year, meaning there will be no money for the schools after June 30. — Mandy Mclaren, The Courier-Journal, "JCPS takeover: five things you missed from Wayne Lewis' KET interview," 8 June 2018 Notably, Cordius uses Ripple’s Interledger as a payment mechanism, which could deliver a boost to Ripple if the new smart contracts platform catches on. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, "Ripple Vet Launches Codius, an Easy-to-Use Smart Contract Tool," 6 June 2018 Though the government agreed to a follow-up mechanism, wherein the Inter-American Commission could continue monitoring the case, there have been few advances to speak of. — Azam Ahmed, New York Times, "Disappearance of 43 Mexican Students Must Be Investigated Anew," 5 June 2018 His work brought us the Triac semiconductor, and familiar parts of our daily lives such as daylight-sensitive streetlights, light dimmers, and the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt mechanism, to name but a few. — courant.com, "Edward Keith Howell," 27 May 2018 In this vision, the self is a clockwork mechanism, ideally adapted by natural selection to its circumstances and needing upkeep only in the form of juice cleanses, meditation, CrossFit, and so on. — Gabriel Winant, The New Republic, "Barbara Ehrenreich’s radical critique of wellness and self-improvement," 23 May 2018

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