mechanize

verb

mech·​a·​nize ˈme-kə-ˌnīz 

mechanized; mechanizing

transitive verb

1

: to make mechanical

especially : to make automatic or routine

2

a

: to equip with machinery especially to replace human or animal labor

b

: to equip with armed and armored motor vehicles

c

: to provide with mechanical power

3

: to produce by or as if by machine

mechanizable

ˈme-kə-ˌnī-zə-bəl 

adjective

mechanization

ˌme-kə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

mechanizer

ˈme-kə-ˌnī-zər 

noun

Examples of mechanize in a Sentence

an invention that helped to mechanize agriculture

Recent Examples on the Web

From using fire to dispel the fear of darkness to mechanizing agriculture to guarantee food abundance, humanity’s innovations have consistently aimed to turn uncertainty into something controllable and predictable on a global scale. —Dr. Mithu Storoni, TIME, 16 Sep. 2024

The one chore that remains stubbornly difficult to mechanize, however, is the physical grasping of products. —Will Knight, WIRED, 4 Sep. 2024

The now-classic book brought veganism and animal advocacy to a new generation of activists at a time when animal slaughter had been systematized and mechanized in ways the Victorian-era vegetarians could have never imagined. —Crystal Heath, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024

So specific computing devices have always been around to mechanize computation to some extent. —Quanta Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

mechanize

verb

mech·​a·​nize ˈmek-ə-ˌnīz 

mechanized; mechanizing

1

: to make mechanical

especially : to make automatic

2

a

: to equip with machinery especially to replace human or animal labor

b

: to equip with armed and armored motor vehicles

mechanized infantry

mechanization

ˌmek-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

mechanizer

ˈmek-ə-ˌnī-zər 

noun