automatic pilot

noun

1

: autopilot sense 1

2

: a state or condition in which activity or behavior is regulated automatically in a predetermined or instinctive manner

doing his job on automatic pilot

Examples of automatic pilot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the 1950s, the U.S. military was using magnetic amplifiers in automatic pilots, fire-control apparatus, servo systems, radar and sonar equipment, the RIM-2 Terrier surface-to-air missile, and many other roles. —IEEE Spectrum, 27 Mar. 2022

There’s no automatic pilot. —Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 7 June 2022

The boat’s automatic pilot function was likely to have been engaged, with its radar showing what was nearby. —Michael Wilson, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2022

Davì relied on his automatic pilot and took micro naps of 15-to-20 minutes, waking regularly to check the instruments. —Diane Bellcolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2022

The Sox manager is biding his time before October, making sure everyone gets enough rest (hello, Tim Anderson) and trying to get the bullpen on automatic pilot after another shaky month. —Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, 27 Aug. 2021

Was this an intervention by a human being or an algorithm on automatic pilot? —Salvatore J. Cordileone and Jim Daly, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2021

Unlike automakers that describe their systems as super or some sort of automatic pilot, Toyota and Lexus have gone with a quieter name: Teammate. —Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, 4 June 2021

Doebele said the pilot told passengers the flight’s automatic pilot function wasn’t working properly and hadn’t been working yesterday, either. —Elizabeth Hernandez, The Denver Post, 28 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for automatic pilot

• autopilot
• eyelet
• islet
• stylet