autopilot

noun

au·​to·​pi·​lot ˈȯ-tō-ˌpī-lət 

1

: a device for automatically steering ships, aircraft, and spacecraft

also : the automatic control provided by such a device

2

: automatic pilot sense 2

Examples of autopilot in a Sentence

an airplane equipped with an autopilot

The plane was flying on autopilot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Build your content machine piece by piece until the system runs smoothly on autopilot. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Some see the continued prosecutions as a repressive Russian machine operating on autopilot. —Paul Sonne, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025

Many people go through their days on autopilot, barely aware of their actions. —Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025

And indeed, most of these long ago gave up any promise of original fare and now are completely on autopilot with repeats: FXX (down 29%), Nat Geo Wild (down 29%), Cooking Channel (down 31%), American Heroes (down 27%), MTV 2 (down 31%) among them. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

auto- + pilot entry 1, as shortening of automatic pilot

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for autopilot

• eyelet
• islet
• pilot
• stylet