1
as in apparatus
a mechanical part or group of parts used to perform a specific task
The printer's paper feeding mechanism is jammed.
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2
as in system
a series of actions used to achieve an end
She was stunned to learn that there was no mechanism in place to remedy the problem.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mechanism
The structural design curtails the necessity for active safety mechanisms, electronic trip switches, or manual operator control interventions during an operational deviation.
—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 July 2026
The war period saw its own moments of threats to rights, such as suspending habeas corpus, the legal mechanism to prevent arbitrary detention.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The finding adds a mechanism to years of correlational data tying periodontal disease to dementia risk, moving the science from associated with toward actively contributing to.
—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Courts have become the fallback mechanism, but litigation is slow and necessarily built on harms that have already occurred.
—
Ryan McBain,
STAT,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for mechanism
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 July 2026
The war period saw its own moments of threats to rights, such as suspending habeas corpus, the legal mechanism to prevent arbitrary detention.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
The finding adds a mechanism to years of correlational data tying periodontal disease to dementia risk, moving the science from associated with toward actively contributing to.
—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Courts have become the fallback mechanism, but litigation is slow and necessarily built on harms that have already occurred.
—
Ryan McBain,
STAT,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for mechanism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mechanism
Noun
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Hearn also donated to Democratic fundraising apparatus ActBlue 10 times while also contributing to Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns five times, an administration official told Fox News Digital.
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Much of this anti-Constitutional apparatus was scrapped after the war.
Noun
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The order affected roughly 300 residents, according to evacuation data provided by the Perimeter Map system used by the county.
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The company said those measures were in place because of bad actors who use powerful AI systems for malicious cyber- and biology purposes.
Noun
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Future generations opening the capsule in 2276 will likely find the device unusable due to several factors.
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Plus, the power port includes three electrical outlets and three USB ports for powering appliances, speakers, and other devices.
Noun
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Such methods can be more convenient than consulting websites or discussing such issues with a friend, neighbor or faith leader.
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Engineers could compare different surface coatings and fabrication methods to identify options that produce the least electrical noise, helping improve the performance of future quantum computers and quantum sensing technologies.
Noun
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In the suburbs and across major cities, the buzzing machines are everywhere.
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Maybe dunking your head in a cotton candy machine, but it's been done.
Noun
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For many steps in the process at Hyundai’s sprawling Georgia auto factory, vehicles take shape without a person in sight.
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But even by the standards of the state’s direct democracy process, the 2026 election stands out.
Noun
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The handle of the FieldSpork incorporates two fold-out tools.
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The tools now entering those classrooms are more powerful and far less accountable than anyone writing that legislation could have imagined.
Noun
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With the expansion, AGH now operates three cath labs, three EP labs, two multiprocedural rooms and a hybrid surgical suite that can be used for either cath or EP procedures.
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Several months earlier, county auditors identified lax accounting procedures that resulted in LAHSA’s failure to pay its contractors on time.
Cite this Entry
“Mechanism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mechanism. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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