automatically

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "automatically" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happens quickly or without needing extra effort. For example: "The sprinklers automatically turned on when the temperature exceeded 90 degrees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If it was not, the whole ride should have automatically shut down".

The Guardian

This is the notion that openness is a certain good, and that "free" is automatically aligned with "freedom" – a faith that's hard to maintain in the light of the consequences of putting so much of our identities into the hands of third (and fourth, and fifth) parties.

The Guardian - Opinion

Now, every time the master branch is tagged vN.NN a new version will automatically ship.

The Guardian

Other features include automatically emailing you when your builds finish, and updating the widget on GitHub pull requests with the build status.

The Guardian

A man already known for his chillaxing tendencies, Dave has spent much of the campaign going through the motions, as if he believed that by constantly repeating "competence or chaos" he would automatically be given back the keys to No 10.

The Guardian - Opinion

Livingstone's bid to mobilise and lead the opposition to Johnson has to be taken seriously, but none of us should think that he's going to automatically abandon the struggle to claim that progressive majority and just fall back on his suburban doughnut.

The Guardian - Opinion

But it might not actually be that I want your knowledge: I want whoever is the best authority on this to help me, and Evernote theoretically knows that, and could figure out who knows the most about the thing that I'm writing and automatically get access to those people's knowledge".

The Guardian - Tech

And now the first pictures have begun to emerge taken with Google Glass and then apparently posted automatically to Twitter with the hashtag #throughglass.

The Guardian - Tech

Why didn't he automatically see us as human beings?

The Guardian

By the appearance of the 12th imam, Israel would be wiped out automatically".

The Guardian

The snapping feature, which automatically resizes windows on the desktop to fill part or all of the screen, has been enhanced, allowing tiling of windows, snapping side-by-side and an array of new layouts to including virtual multi-desktop modes to try to help computer and tablet users be more productive with both universal apps and traditional desktop Windows apps.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "automatically" to clearly indicate that a process or action occurs without manual intervention, enhancing clarity and precision in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "automatically" excessively in passive voice sentences. Instead of "The report was automatically generated", consider "The system automatically generated the report" for a more direct and active voice.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "automatically" modifies verbs, adverbs, or clauses, indicating that an action or process occurs without conscious human intervention. It clarifies how something happens, as Ludwig AI examples show: '...a new version will automatically ship' or '...tweets get automatically flagged'.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adverb "automatically" is grammatically correct and very common, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It denotes actions or processes that occur without manual intervention, frequently appearing in news, business, and technical contexts. Alternatives include "by itself" or "on its own", although "automatically" provides a clear and efficient way to convey self-operation. When writing, use "automatically" to indicate the absence of manual effort, but be mindful of overusing it in passive voice constructions. The high frequency and consistent usage across authoritative sources solidify "automatically" as a reliable and effective choice for describing automated processes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by itself

Focuses on the self-operating aspect, without external assistance.

on its own

Similar to "by itself", emphasizing independence of operation.

without prompting

Highlights the lack of need for initiation or instruction.

as a matter of course

Indicates something that happens naturally or predictably.

involuntarily

Emphasizes the lack of conscious control or choice.

by default

Implies a pre-set or standard setting that takes effect unless changed.

intrinsically

Highlights that something is inherently part of the process.

mechanically

Focuses on the process being done by machines or in a routine, impersonal manner.

as an automation

Describes the action as a result of automation systems.

through automation

Specifies the means by which something happens without direct intervention.

FAQs

How can I use "automatically" in a sentence?

Use "automatically" to describe actions or processes that occur without direct human intervention. For example, "The system "automatically" saves your progress every few minutes."

What are some alternatives to saying "automatically"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "by itself", "on its own", or "without prompting".

Is it correct to say something "happens automatically"?

Yes, it's perfectly correct. "Automatically" is an adverb that modifies the verb "happens", indicating that the action occurs without conscious effort or intervention.

What is the difference between "automatically" and "manually"?

"Automatically" implies that a process occurs without human control, while "manually" means that something is done by hand or with personal effort. They are antonyms.