mechanistic

adjective

mech·​a·​nis·​tic ˌme-kə-ˈni-stik 

1

: mechanically determined

2

: of or relating to a mechanism or the doctrine of mechanism

3

: mechanical

mechanistically

ˌme-kə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of mechanistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carugati said the team hasn't found a genetic or mechanistic explanation for the convergence. — ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026

The modernist, mechanistic view of the world where humans are separate and death is the end doesn’t hold true to my experience. — Casper Ter Kuile, Vox, 16 Sep. 2026

The new study confirms the suspicion at a mechanistic level, presenting new ideas for how to tackle livestock’s methane emissions from the inside out. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026

The rise of large language models (LLMs) offers a path forward, because LLMs aren’t mechanistic. — Chris Burchett, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

mechan(ical) entry 1 or mechan(ism) + -istic

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for mechanistic

• agonistic
• altruistic
• animistic
• aphoristic
• atheistic
• atomistic
• cabalistic
• calvinistic
• chauvinistic
• dualistic
• egoistic
• egotistic