Word
Definition
n. the use of machines or computers to do work that people used to do. It helps businesses finish tasks faster and with fewer mistakes.
n. the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically. Often used in industrial contexts to describe the replacement of human labour with mechanical or electronic control systems.
Examples
“Automation in the factory helps produce cars much faster.”
“The bank introduced automation for basic transactions to reduce the time customers spend waiting in line.”
“While industrial automation significantly increases manufacturing throughput and consistency, it simultaneously prompts complex debates regarding the future of manual labour and the necessity of workforce retraining.”
Examples
simple
“Automation in the factory helps produce cars much faster.”
contextual
“The bank introduced automation for basic transactions to reduce the time customers spend waiting in line.”
complex
“While industrial automation significantly increases manufacturing throughput and consistency, it simultaneously prompts complex debates regarding the future of manual labour and the necessity of workforce retraining.”
Usage
Frequently functions as the subject or object in discussions about technology and economics; often paired with 'industrial' or 'office'.
Real-World Examples
“And on the other end of the market, the British chain Greggs has managed to keep prices low via automation.” “Believing too much in the machine’s results—positive or negative—is called automation bias.” Etymology
From automatic + -ion or automaton + -ion; coined by a Ford Executive Vice President, Delmar S. Harder, in the 1940s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/automation
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0