# mechanically

/məˈkænɪkɫi/ (US) · /mɪkˈænɪkli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mechanically
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. by means of a machine

adverb · CEFR B2

using a machine or physical force rather than doing it by hand.

For teachers: by means of a machine or physical mechanism; relating to the laws of mechanics.

- The factory parts are mechanically sorted by a large robot arm.
- The grain is mechanically harvested and processed, ensuring a level of efficiency that manual labour could never achieve in this timeframe.

### 2. without thinking

adverb · CEFR B2

doing something like a machine, without using your mind or showing any feeling.

For teachers: in a manner lacking spontaneity or thought; performed automatically as if by habit.

- He was so tired that he just nodded mechanically to everything she said.
- After twenty years on the assembly line, she performed the complex sequence of movements mechanically, her mind wandering elsewhere entirely.

## Examples

- He nodded mechanically while he thought about something else.
- After twenty years on the assembly line, she performed the complex series of movements mechanically.
- The pianist played the difficult passage mechanically, hitting every note with technical precision but failing to convey the underlying emotional depth of the composition.

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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.