1
2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mechanical distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of mechanical are automatic, impulsive, instinctive, and spontaneous. While all these words mean "acting or activated without deliberation," mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

When might automatic be a better fit than mechanical?

While in some cases nearly identical to mechanical, automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

When would impulsive be a good substitute for mechanical?

While the synonyms impulsive and mechanical are close in meaning, impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment.

impulsive acts of violence

When can instinctive be used instead of mechanical?

The synonyms instinctive and mechanical are sometimes interchangeable, but instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

When is spontaneous a more appropriate choice than mechanical?

Although the words spontaneous and mechanical have much in common, spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness.

a spontaneous burst of applause

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mechanical The light bar will be inspected and repaired, with any necessary additional mechanical attachments provided at no cost via Tesla Service. Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 Workers—women and men of all ages—clip bunches of grapes, deposit them in plastic tubs, and then transfer the contents of the tubs to a tractor’s mechanical scooper. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2025 The second, Lisa Pisano, received a mechanical heart pump in addition to the pig kidney in April 2024. Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025 Just hours before the thieves quietly stole the historic coins, four chainsaw-wielding thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris using a ladder boosted by a mechanical boom truck to force a window open at the famed museum and steal millions of dollars worth of jewelry. Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mechanical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mechanical
Adjective
  • The technology included corrupt automatic shuffling machines that read cards and predicted which player had the best hand.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Choose from eight lighting modes—including twinkle, slow fade, steady glow, or flash—and even set an automatic shut-off timer.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For thousands of years, men in power have been responsible for catastrophe after genocide after unnatural disaster.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Scrutinize fine details like hair, fur, or repetitive patterns that may appear unnatural, and inspect for illogical lighting, shadows, or odd background elements.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The project aims to enable drones to operate in smoke, dust, and darkness where traditional cameras and light sensors fail—advancing resilient robotic perception for search, rescue, and hazardous environment missions.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Think of these robotic vacuums as your very own Rosey from The Jetsons.
    Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • What really makes the dress stand out is its chic details, which includes a structured seam around the waist, gold-tone decorative buttons, and a mock neckline.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The eye-rolling, groaning, mock-despair brings the group together.
    Big Think, Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The maps are also designed around Black Ops 7’s new wall jump mechanic.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Crowson said the suspect then drove to an area about two and a half miles north of the mechanic shop, where police received a report of another shooting.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford has been upgraded to questionable after missing the past four games with a strained right hamstring.
    Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Father Mother Sister Brother tells the story of estranged siblings who reunite after years apart and are forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But largely absent from the show was a pain management disorder – reflex neurovascular dystrophy, also known as complex regional pain syndrome – that Sioux has dealt with for much of her life.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
  • In each case, there's a recognition that some players might want to explore a game's world—to experience the characters, art, and dialogue that the developers worked so hard to craft—without struggling through mechanical reflex tests or grindy, repetitive challenges.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Several residents who work in the Georgia King Village area weighed in on the incident, including Harriette Guity, who told News12 that false reports based on AI could stretch first responders thin.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Archaeologists concluded the structure was actually a false tomb, or a cenotaph, a type of burial monument erected to honor a deceased person buried elsewhere.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mechanical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mechanical. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mechanical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!