# agentic

/eɪˈdʒɛntɪk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/agentic
Updated: 2026-09-28

## Senses

### 1. human agency or personal initiative

adjective · CEFR C2 · Academic · Formal

describing someone who takes action and makes their own choices to reach a goal, rather than waiting for things to happen.

For teachers: relating to human agency and the capacity to act independently; characterized by personal initiative, intentional decision-making, and proactive control over one's life rather than passive reaction to external circumstances.

- She takes an agentic approach to solving problems in her daily life.
- Bandura's social cognitive theory views individuals as agentic producers of their experiences rather than passive products of their environment.

Usage: Common in psychology, sociology, and philosophy when discussing personal autonomy and empowerment.

### 2. autonomous AI or software agents

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing computer programs or AI systems that can plan steps, make decisions, and take actions on their own to achieve a goal.

For teachers: relating to artificial intelligence systems or software architectures capable of autonomous goal-directed behavior, multi-step planning, tool use, and self-correction without requiring constant human prompts.

- The team developed an agentic assistant that can browse the web and book appointments automatically.
- Unlike basic chatbots that only answer single prompts, agentic AI operates in iterative loops—breaking high-level goals into subtasks, calling external tools, and evaluating outcomes.

Usage: Widely used in modern computer science and artificial intelligence (especially in phrases like agentic AI, agentic workflow, and agentic systems).

## Examples

- She takes an agentic approach to her career development.
- The study found that students with an agentic mindset were more likely to seek help when they encountered difficult problems.
- Modern leadership theories emphasize the importance of fostering an agentic culture where employees feel empowered to exercise their own judgment in pursuit of organizational objectives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.