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Meaning & use

autopilot

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈɔːtəʊpaɪlət/
US/ˈɔːtoʊpaɪlət/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A device or software that steers an aircraft, ship, or vehicle automatically without a person controlling it.

    Grammar: Countable: use 'an autopilot' or 'the autopilot'. Often in phrases like 'on autopilot' or 'switch on the autopilot'.

    Patterns

    • on autopilot
    • switch on the autopilot
    • the plane's autopilot

    The pilot switched on the autopilot once the plane reached cruising altitude.

    Modern ships often rely on an autopilot to keep a steady course across long ocean crossings.

    If the autopilot fails, the driver must take control immediately.

  2. noununcountablefigurative

    A state of doing something without conscious thought, as if controlled automatically.

    Grammar: Uncountable and used figuratively, almost always in the phrase 'on autopilot'.

    Patterns

    • on autopilot
    • do something on autopilot

    After a long week, I was so tired that I drove home on autopilot.

    She answered the same customer questions on autopilot, barely noticing what she said.

Word forms

pluralautopilots

Common combinations

on autopilot
He was so exhausted that he got through the meeting on autopilot.
engage the autopilot
The captain engaged the autopilot as soon as the seatbelt sign went off.
disengage the autopilot
You must disengage the autopilot before making a sharp turn.
autopilot system
The new autopilot system can land the plane in fog.

Synonyms and how they differ

automatic pilot
The full, more formal term for the same device; 'autopilot' is the shorter everyday form.
robot
A machine that performs tasks automatically, but it is a physical machine, not a control system for a vehicle.

Word family

pilot noun
A person who controls an aircraft or ship, the opposite of what an autopilot does.
automatic adjective
Working by itself without direct human control.

Commonly confused: autopilot or autopilot vs. automatic pilot?

autopilot vs autopilot vs. automatic pilot

'Automatic pilot' is the full form; 'autopilot' is the common short form. They mean the same thing.

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