mechanize

verb

mech·​a·​nize ˈme-kə-ˌnīz How to pronounce mechanize (audio)
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 adjective
mechanization noun
mechanizer noun

Examples of mechanize in a Sentence

an invention that helped to mechanize agriculture
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But for many types of crops, that isn’t possible: USDA research shows that demand for H-2A workers boomed from 2010-2019 in sectors like fruit and vegetable production, which require hand labor that isn’t easily mechanized. Melina Walling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for mechanize 

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mechanize was in 1678

Dictionary Entries Near mechanize

Cite this Entry

“Mechanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mechanize. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

mechanize

verb
mech·​a·​nize ˈmek-ə-ˌnīz How to pronounce mechanize (audio)
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 noun
mechanizer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mechanize

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!