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automatic

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word automatic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of automatic are impulsive, instinctive, mechanical, and spontaneous. While all these words mean "acting or activated without deliberation," automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

Where would impulsive be a reasonable alternative to automatic?

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

impulsive acts of violence

When could instinctive be used to replace automatic?

The words instinctive and automatic can be used in similar contexts, but instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

When would mechanical be a good substitute for automatic?

In some situations, the words mechanical and automatic are roughly equivalent. However, mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

When is it sensible to use spontaneous instead of automatic?

The meanings of spontaneous and automatic largely overlap; however, 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 automatic
Adjective
In the car world, automatics are practical and simple for the majority of commuting drivers, but enthusiasts often prefer the extra control and involvement of a clutch and a stick-shift. New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2024 For Prime Day there are a couple De’Longhi Magnifica models, the brand’s entry-level super automatics, on big sales. Noah Kaufman, Bon Appétit, 17 July 2024
Noun
That may be mean setting up regular, automatic deposits into a 529 account or a vacation fund. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 23 July 2025 The Big Ten, for example, is advocating for a 16-team field that includes four automatic bids for its conference and the Southeastern Conference, two apiece for the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 and four at-large bids. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for automatic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for automatic
Adjective
  • Driving through deep water can also affect a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2025
  • Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • All have been stopped by either coast guards, armed private security on the boats, or the two that made it to the island told me that an automated PA system yelled at them saying coast guards had been contacted and to turn back immediately.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • The sell-off highlighted the market’s doubts over the firm’s future in an automated world, despite Julien’s best efforts, even as a big acquisition in the sector suggested a premium for the very skills Teleperformance offers.
    Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Akram Aker, another witness, said troops fired machine guns mounted on tanks and drones.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025
  • Joe ducks into a gun store, emerging with a machine gun.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 18 July 2025
Adjective
  • So marketers are faced with the challenge of adapting once again to a new reality, where buying isn’t driven by emotional response but by algorithms and robotic logic.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • In a warehouse setting, this means robotic arms could inspect the contents of packages moving down a conveyor belt without unpacking them.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • One casing is a 9mm caliber, likely a pistol, or a machine pistol or a submachine gun, Weir said.
    Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 26 June 2024
  • Prosecutors said police found two weapons in the getaway car when the men were detained on a highway about 50 kilometers (30 miles) outside Amsterdam, a Heckler and Koch machine pistol and, in a Louis Vuitton bag, a blank-firing pistol that had been modified to take 9-millimeter rounds.
    MIKE CORDER, ajc, 18 Oct. 2021
Adjective
  • That leads to the second category: a simple reflex agent with state.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Some bass-heavy speakers can create an annoying booming sound from the reflex port at the rear of the speaker.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • One of the suspects was also armed with an assault rifle and the car was speeding at the time of the crash, McManus said.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 18 July 2025
  • Last July 13, just six minutes into Trump's speech to 15,000 fervent fans on the grounds of the Butler Farm Show, Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight shots from an assault rifle while atop the roof of American Glass Research, some 150 yards away.
    Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • The demanding executive might uncover a passion for art; the strategic planner might embrace spontaneous adventure.
    Lorraine Wiseman, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • First described in 2021, Marbach-Schaaf Syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a spontaneous (non-inherited) mutation in the PRKAR1B gene.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Automatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/automatic. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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