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
Examples of autopilot in a Sentence
an airplane equipped with an autopilot
The plane was flying on autopilot.
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a long-term invitation to stop running on autopilot and start aligning your everyday life with your deeper values.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Clear thinking, focus, creativity and good judgment are built through challenge, when the brain is asked to stretch beyond routine rather than run on autopilot.
—Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
So much for an autopilot vacation.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Pushing a large red button activates the plane’s on-board autopilot, steering the airplane to a suitable airport and making announcements to air traffic controllers.
—Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autopilot
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Clear thinking, focus, creativity and good judgment are built through challenge, when the brain is asked to stretch beyond routine rather than run on autopilot.
—Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026
So much for an autopilot vacation.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Pushing a large red button activates the plane’s on-board autopilot, steering the airplane to a suitable airport and making announcements to air traffic controllers.
—Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for autopilot
Cite this Entry
“Autopilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autopilot. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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