running on autopilot

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiomfigurative

   doing something automatically without conscious thought, often because you are tired or it is a habit

   Grammar: Used after forms of 'be' or 'run': I was running on autopilot.

   Patterns

   • be running on autopilot
   • run on autopilot
   • go on autopilot

   After working for twelve hours, I was running on autopilot and forgot where I was going.

   She answered the same questions every day, so she was running on autopilot.

   When you are running on autopilot, you can make careless mistakes.

2. 2phraseidiomtechnical

   operating by an automatic control system without a person actively steering

   Grammar: This literal use is common for planes, ships, and some cars.

   Patterns

   • be running on autopilot
   • fly on autopilot

   The plane was running on autopilot for most of the flight.

   With the ship running on autopilot, the crew could rest.

Common combinations

be running on autopilot

I was running on autopilot and didn't hear the phone ring.

go on autopilot

After a long day, my brain just goes on autopilot.

run on autopilot

The routine is so familiar that I can run on autopilot.

operate on autopilot

The machine can operate on autopilot for hours.

Synonyms and how they differ

on automatic

This is a similar informal phrase, but 'on autopilot' is more common in both literal and figurative senses.

mindlessly

This adverb describes doing something without thinking, but it does not capture the idea of a habitual or automatic state.

Commonly confused: running on autopilot or on automatic pilot?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “running on autopilot”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words