{"loaderData":{"0":null,"0-3":[{"type":"fetchPageData/fulfilled","payload":{"_id":"home-legacy","story":{"created_at":"2023-07-04T15:14:18.526Z","published_at":"2024-05-02T04:05:00.000Z","content":{"heroModule":[{"cta":[{"url":"https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/ampersand/","text":"Read more.","target":"_self"}],"article":{"name":"What Are Ampersands and How Do You Use Them?","content":{"topicLabel":"Informal writing"}},"imageUrl":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/featured/hero/what-are-ampersands-and-how-do-you-use-them-20251013.png","description":"We explain the finer points of the ampersand's use — from informal writing to company names.","subjectLabel":"Today"}],"quizModule":[{"cta":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/learn/quizzes","text":"Go to all quizzes","target":"_self"}],"image":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/daily-quiz.png","articleLink":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/games/quizzes/quiz-yourself-on-anytime-vs-any-time","text":"Take the full quiz.","target":"_self"}],"subjectLabel":"Quiz","wordpressSlug":"quiz-yourself-on-anytime-vs-any-time","questionNumber":"2"}],"xotdModule":[],"gamesModule":[{"gamesList":[{"name":"Daily Crossword","created_at":"2023-07-04T15:24:23.318Z","published_at":"2024-02-07T05:05:00.000Z","id":336141299,"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/crossword/","text":"Daily Crossword","target":"_self"}],"image":{"id":10215805,"alt":"","name":"","focus":"","title":"","source":"","filename":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/daily-crossword.png","copyright":"","fieldtype":"asset","meta_data":{},"is_external_url":false},"subscriberLink":""},"slug":"daily-crossword","full_slug":"games/daily-crossword","sort_by_date":null,"position":0,"tag_list":[],"is_startpage":false,"parent_id":336140985,"meta_data":null,"group_id":"013f4974-3fad-4e2b-8aa2-c573ef31f263","first_published_at":"2023-07-04T15:32:55.972Z","release_id":null,"lang":"default","path":null,"alternates":[],"default_full_slug":null,"translated_slugs":null,"_stopResolving":true},{"name":"Hurdle","created_at":"2023-07-07T20:42:46.109Z","published_at":"2024-02-06T05:05:00.000Z","id":337835996,"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://play.dictionary.com/games/todays-hurdle","text":"Hurdle","target":"_self"}],"image":{"id":10215808,"alt":"","name":"","focus":"","title":"","source":"","filename":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/hurdle.png","copyright":"","fieldtype":"asset","meta_data":{},"is_external_url":false},"subscriberLink":"https://www.dictionary.com/games/hurdle"},"slug":"hurdle","full_slug":"games/hurdle","sort_by_date":null,"position":-30,"tag_list":[],"is_startpage":false,"parent_id":336140985,"meta_data":null,"group_id":"3342f4e9-9403-4609-a956-7cd5eab50dc9","first_published_at":"2023-07-10T17:24:55.648Z","release_id":null,"lang":"default","path":null,"alternates":[],"default_full_slug":null,"translated_slugs":null,"_stopResolving":true},{"name":"Word Puzzle","created_at":"2023-07-04T15:31:56.964Z","published_at":"2023-07-10T17:24:59.422Z","id":336150578,"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/games/word-puzzle","text":"Word Puzzle","target":"_self"}],"image":{"id":10215807,"alt":"","name":"","focus":"","title":"","source":"","filename":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/word-puzzle.png","copyright":"","fieldtype":"asset","meta_data":{},"is_external_url":false}},"slug":"word-puzzle","full_slug":"games/word-puzzle","sort_by_date":null,"position":-20,"tag_list":[],"is_startpage":false,"parent_id":336140985,"meta_data":null,"group_id":"71792320-7229-4ab6-8558-b3af16f5e557","first_published_at":"2023-07-04T15:32:43.933Z","release_id":null,"lang":"default","path":null,"alternates":[],"default_full_slug":null,"translated_slugs":null,"_stopResolving":true},{"name":"Word Wipe","created_at":"2023-07-04T15:28:02.623Z","published_at":"2024-02-06T05:05:00.000Z","id":336141320,"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://play.dictionary.com/games/word-wipe","text":"Word Wipe","target":"_self"}],"image":{"id":10215806,"alt":"","name":"","focus":"","title":"","source":"","filename":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/word-wipe.png","copyright":"","fieldtype":"asset","meta_data":{},"is_external_url":false},"subscriberLink":"https://www.dictionary.com/games/word-wipe"},"slug":"word-wipe","full_slug":"games/word-wipe","sort_by_date":null,"position":-10,"tag_list":[],"is_startpage":false,"parent_id":336140985,"meta_data":null,"group_id":"3789fc63-90b3-4407-99f4-fa263d1a3e39","first_published_at":"2023-07-04T15:32:50.947Z","release_id":null,"lang":"default","path":null,"alternates":[],"default_full_slug":null,"translated_slugs":null,"_stopResolving":true}],"description":"Calling all cruciverbalists! Sharpen your mind with crosswords and word games, or take a brain break with your favorite classic games.","subjectLabel":"Games"}],"commonModule":[],"ribbonModule":[],"trendingModule":[{"articles":[{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/emoji/face-in-clouds-emoji/","text":"How Are You Using the Face in Clouds Emoji 😶‍🌫️?"}]}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/white-tie-vs-black-tie/","text":"White Tie vs. Black Tie: Which Is More Formal?"}]}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/pasta-shapes-names/","text":"All the Pasta Shape Names Explained: How Many Do You Know?"}]}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/comfort-character/","text":"Who's Your Comfort Character?"}]}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/whycapitali/","text":"Why Do We Capitalize the Pronoun \"I\"?"}]}}],"subjectLabel":"Trending"}],"newsletterModule":[{"title":"Salutations, logophile!","imageUrl":"https://assets.dictionary.com/home/newsletter.png","description":"Sign up to get everything a word lover could want: word origins, fun facts, and the latest language trends.","subjectLabel":"Newsletter"}],"largeRibbonModule":[],"recirculationModule":[{"articles":[{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/soccer-or-football/","text":"Why Do Americans Call Football \"Soccer\"?"}],"topicLabel":"⚽ Sports"}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/name-meanings-in-dictionary/","text":"Is Your Name in the Dictionary?"}],"topicLabel":"Look yourself up"}},{"content":{"link":[{"url":"https://www.thesaurus.com/e/writing/how-to-write-a-scary-story-tips-to-haunt-your-reader/","text":"How to Write a Scary Story: Tips to Haunt Your Readers"}],"topicLabel":"Writing tips"}}],"subjectLabel":"Featured"}]},"slug":"shared-homepage","full_slug":"homepages/shared-homepage","sort_by_date":null,"position":0,"tag_list":[],"is_startpage":false,"parent_id":336140983,"meta_data":null,"group_id":"c7ed375b-9129-448c-aeec-9f52e3fef270","first_published_at":"2023-07-04T18:23:43.845Z","release_id":null,"lang":"default","path":null,"alternates":[],"default_full_slug":null,"translated_slugs":null}},"meta":{"requestId":"MdJICuvdR5SMZlNUKZfaE","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"nlp":[{"id":"6736054-4","sentence":"In small factories across America, agile automatons are making everything from parts for AI supercomputers to the hulls of America’s future autonomous naval weapons.","source":{"sourceName":"The Wall Street Journal","publicationDate":"2025-10-09T04:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2025-10-09T04:00:00.000Z","url":"https://www.wsj.com/business/americas-manufacturing-resurgence-will-be-powered-by-these-robots-78d1d7f6","abbreviation":"nlp","author":"Christopher Mims | Photography and Video by Maddie McGarvey for WSJ","title":"America’s Manufacturing Resurgence Will Be Powered by These Robots"},"offsets":[41,51]},{"id":"6727528-15","sentence":"The term for an automaton picked up steam elsewhere with the advent of artificial intelligence and the wider adoption of delivery robots.","source":{"sourceName":"Salon","publicationDate":"2025-08-19T04:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2025-08-19T04:00:00.000Z","url":"https://www.salon.com/2025/08/19/is-clanker-a-slur-anti-robot-jokes-accused-of-being-thinly-veiled-racism/","abbreviation":"nlp","author":"Alex Galbraith","title":"Is \"clanker\" a slur? Anti-robot jokes accused of being thinly veiled racism - Salon.com"},"offsets":[16,25]},{"id":"6711273-49","sentence":"The success of “Maybe Happy Ending” hinges in no small part on the miraculous performance of Darren Criss, who plays an automaton with a secretly sensitive heart.","source":{"sourceName":"Los Angeles Times","publicationDate":"2025-05-01T04:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2025-05-01T04:00:00.000Z","url":"https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-05-01/tony-nominations-critic-notebook-maybe-happy-ending-dead-outlaw-oh-mary-audra-mcdonald-george-clooney","abbreviation":"nlp","author":"Charles McNulty","title":"Tony nominations reward audacious risk-taking on Broadway"},"offsets":[120,129]},{"id":"6672893-4","sentence":"Campione has become known for her unique specialism in dolls, doll houses, automata, birdcages and corkscrews.","source":{"sourceName":"BBC","publicationDate":"2024-09-07T04:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2024-09-07T04:00:00.000Z","url":"https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdeyjyzlrnro","abbreviation":"nlp","title":"Antiques Roadshow expert to auction items from her collection"},"offsets":[75,83]},{"id":"6651180-71","sentence":"But in the 18th and 19th centuries, the automaton — an intricate mechanical device that could take the form of a preening silver swan or an organ-playing doll — was a popular source of entertainment and wonder.","source":{"sourceName":"New York Times","publicationDate":"2024-05-09T04:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2024-05-09T04:00:00.000Z","url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/t-magazine/apparition-des-baies-van-cleef-arpels.html","abbreviation":"nlp","author":"Megan Conway","title":"How a Mechanical Songbird Takes Flight"},"offsets":[40,49]}],"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"automaton"},"requestId":"cxmp1jB2eJPSeTC3jjh-O","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"dcomWeb/fetchThesaurusRelatedEntries/fulfilled","payload":{"relatedEntries":[{"headword":"machine","partOfSpeech":"noun","shortDefinition":"device that performs a task","slug":"machine","synonyms":[{"headword":"apparatus","slug":"apparatus"},{"headword":"appliance","slug":"appliance"},{"headword":"automaton","slug":"automaton"},{"headword":"automobile","slug":"automobile"},{"headword":"computer","slug":"computer"},{"headword":"contraption","slug":"contraption"},{"headword":"contrivance","slug":"contrivance"},{"headword":"engine","slug":"engine"},{"headword":"gadget","slug":"gadget"},{"headword":"implement","slug":"implement"},{"headword":"instrument","slug":"instrument"},{"headword":"mechanism","slug":"mechanism"},{"headword":"motor","slug":"motor"},{"headword":"robot","slug":"robot"},{"headword":"thingamabob","slug":"thingamabob"},{"headword":"tool","slug":"tool"},{"headword":"vehicle","slug":"vehicle"},{"headword":"widget","slug":"widget"}]},{"headword":"machine","partOfSpeech":"noun","shortDefinition":"person who acts automatically","slug":"machine","synonyms":[{"headword":"agent","slug":"agent"},{"headword":"automaton","slug":"automaton"},{"headword":"clone","slug":"clone"},{"headword":"drudge","slug":"drudge"},{"headword":"grind","slug":"grind"},{"headword":"laborer","slug":"laborer"},{"headword":"mechanical","slug":"mechanical"},{"headword":"puppet","slug":"puppet"},{"headword":"robot","slug":"robot"},{"headword":"zombie","slug":"zombie"}]}],"slug":"automaton"},"meta":{"arg":"automaton","requestId":"XNVzYq0DyH3vNm36SrofR","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"dcomWeb/fetchThesaurusEntry/fulfilled","payload":[{"entries":[{"createDate":"2021-05-09T14:56:05Z","headword":{"normalizedForm":"automaton","standardForm":"automaton"},"id":"6097f805000000011900fcf6","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2021-05-09T14:56:05Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"automaton","groups":["a","aa","m","n","o","oo","t","tt","u"],"numLetters":9,"reverse":"notamotua","subwordTokens":["automaton","utomaton","tomaton","omaton","maton","aton","ton","on","n"]},"normalizedLetter":"a","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferences":[{"targetEntry":{"headword":"machine","id":"6097f6d7000000016a006e13","slug":"machine"},"targetEntryId":"6097f6d7000000016a006e72","type":"as-in"}],"id":"6097f805000000011900fcfb","ordinal":1,"shortText":"person who acts automatically","source":"random-house","synonyms":[{"entry":{"headword":"agent","id":"6097f66300000003d500992f","slug":"agent"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"clone","id":"6097faf5000000039100468f","slug":"clone"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"drudge","id":"6097fb9900000001bf00eac1","slug":"drudge"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"grind","id":"6097fbff0000000103001c42","slug":"grind"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"laborer","id":"6097f6b80000000242006255","slug":"laborer"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"puppet","id":"6097f7760000000156000e16","slug":"puppet"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"robot","id":"6097f79e00000003a2006fd5","slug":"robot"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"zombie","id":"6097f8a800000002cc00b94a","slug":"zombie"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"mechanical","id":"6097f6e60000000220007ce7","slug":"mechanical"},"similarity":10}]},{"antonyms":[{"entry":{"headword":"end","id":"6097fba7000000028000ef99","slug":"end"},"similarity":-100}],"crossReferences":[{"targetEntry":{"headword":"machine","id":"6097f6d7000000016a006e13","slug":"machine"},"targetEntryId":"6097f6d7000000016a006e18","type":"as-in"}],"id":"6097f805000000011900fcfb","ordinal":2,"shortText":"device that performs a task","source":"random-house","synonyms":[{"entry":{"headword":"apparatus","id":"6097f6720000000306008c5d","slug":"apparatus"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"appliance","id":"6097f6720000000306009dd9","slug":"appliance"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"automobile","id":"6097f805000000011900fd26","slug":"automobile"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"engine","id":"6097fba700000002800012c0","slug":"engine"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"gadget","id":"6097fbe000000002ac0046ad","slug":"gadget"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"instrument","id":"6097f6ac000000005500ad57","slug":"instrument"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"motor","id":"6097f70500000000bd00cb82","slug":"motor"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"tool","id":"6097f85100000002ef00a3b1","slug":"tool"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"vehicle","id":"6097f87c00000002b7005689","slug":"vehicle"},"similarity":100},{"entry":{"headword":"computer","id":"6097fb490000000296001c9d","slug":"computer"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"contraption","id":"6097fb58000000005100e9f8","slug":"contraption"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"contrivance","id":"6097fb58000000005100f23c","slug":"contrivance"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"implement","id":"6097f6910000000056002837","slug":"implement"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"mechanism","id":"6097f6e60000000220007e14","slug":"mechanism"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"robot","id":"6097f79e00000003a2006fd5","slug":"robot"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"thingamabob","id":"6097f841000000014100fdb8","slug":"thingamabob"},"similarity":50},{"entry":{"headword":"widget","id":"6097f895000000035e00d805","slug":"widget"},"similarity":50}]}],"id":"6097f805bb1f88f7c11ce776","ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationSets":[{"id":"5568074700000000bb00565c","lang":"en","ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"audio":{"flac":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.flac","mpeg":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.mp3","ogg":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.ogg","wav":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.wav"},"id":"5568074700000000bb00565d","ipa":{"text":"ɔˈtɒm əˌtɒn"},"phonetic":{"boldIndices":[3,4,5],"html":"aw-tom-uh-ton","italicIndices":[7,8],"text":"aw-tom-uh-ton"}},{"id":"5568074700000000bb005662","ipa":{"text":"-tn"},"phonetic":{"html":"-tn","text":"-tn"}}],"region":"us"}],"slug":"automaton","source":"random-house","subType":"as-in","type":"tcom"}],"type":"tcom"}],"meta":{"arg":"automaton","requestId":"Jt5J7o-UG019Qp1pGKNuu","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"dcomWeb/fetchDictionaryEntry/fulfilled","payload":[{"entries":[{"createDate":"2015-05-29T06:29:27Z","derivedFormSets":[{"derivedForms":[{"form":"automatous","ordinal":1,"syllabicForm":"au·toma·tous"}],"partOfSpeech":"adjective"}],"headword":{"normalizedForm":"automaton","standardForm":"automaton","syllabicForm":"au·tom·a·ton"},"id":"5568074700000000bb005658","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2015-05-29T06:29:27Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"automaton","groups":["a","aa","m","n","o","oo","t","tt","u"],"numLetters":9,"reverse":"notamotua","subwordTokens":["automaton","utomaton","tomaton","omaton","maton","aton","ton","on","n"]},"normalizedLetter":"a","ordinal":1,"origin":{"id":"5568074700000000bb00567e","source":"dcom","text":"1605–15; < Latin: automatic device < Greek, noun use of neuter of autómatos spontaneous, acting without human agency, equivalent to auto- auto- ¹ + -matos, adj. derivative from base of memonénai to intend, ménos might, force","type":"origin"},"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"5568074700000000bb005675","ordinal":1,"source":"random-house","tags":[{"tag":"Mechanics","type":"category"}],"text":"a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robot."},{"id":"5568074700000000bb005679","ordinal":2,"source":"random-house","text":"a person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence."},{"id":"5568074700000000bb00567b","ordinal":3,"source":"random-house","text":"something capable of acting automatically or without an external motive force."}],"id":"5568074700000000bb005666","inflectedFormSets":[{"grammaticalCategory":"plural","inflectedForms":[{"form":"automatons","ordinal":1,"syllabicForm":"au·tom·a·tons"},{"form":"automata","ordinal":2,"syllabicForm":"au·tom·a·ta"}]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationSets":[{"id":"5568074700000000bb00565c","lang":"en","ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"audio":{"flac":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.flac","mpeg":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.mp3","ogg":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.ogg","wav":"A08/A0835400/A0835400.wav"},"id":"5568074700000000bb00565d","ipa":{"text":"ɔˈtɒm əˌtɒn"},"phonetic":{"boldIndices":[3,4,5],"html":"aw-tom-uh-ton","italicIndices":[7,8],"text":"aw-tom-uh-ton"}},{"id":"5568074700000000bb005662","ipa":{"text":"-tn"},"phonetic":{"html":"-tn","text":"-tn"}}],"region":"us"}],"slug":"automaton","source":"dcom","type":"dcom"}],"type":"dcom"},{"entries":[{"createDate":"2010-07-27T13:28:55Z","derivedFormSets":[{"derivedForms":[{"form":"automatous"}],"partOfSpeech":"adjective"}],"headword":{"normalizedForm":"automaton","standardForm":"automaton"},"id":"4c4edf1700000001f2007a2b","lang":"en","modifyDate":"2010-07-27T13:28:55Z","ngrams":{"allLetters":true,"forward":"automaton","groups":["a","aa","m","n","o","oo","t","tt","u"],"numLetters":9,"reverse":"notamotua","subwordTokens":["automaton","utomaton","tomaton","omaton","maton","aton","ton","on","n"]},"normalizedLetter":"a","ordinal":1,"origin":{"source":"collins","text":"C17: from Latin, from Greek, from automatos spontaneous, self-moving","type":"etymology"},"partOfSpeechBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"id":"4c35698383ebc16f4ebf4a46","ordinal":1,"tags":[{"tag":"Science_and_Technology:Engineering:General_Engineering","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a mechanical device operating under its own hidden power; robot"},{"id":"4c04888699eeeca861993616","ordinal":2,"tags":[{"tag":"General:General_Language:General_Language_Term","type":"subject-field"}],"text":"a person who acts mechanically or leads a routine monotonous life"}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationSets":[{"ordinal":1,"pronunciations":[{"ipa":{"text":"ɔːˈtɒməˌtɒn"}}]},{"ordinal":2,"pronunciations":[{"ipa":{"text":"-tən"}}]}],"slug":"automaton","source":"collins","type":"british"}],"type":"british"}],"meta":{"arg":"automaton","requestId":"D0LzTyKwA6upIO27SkRXd","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"automaton","slug":"automaton"},{"displayForm":"automation","slug":"automation"},{"displayForm":"automation","slug":"automation"},{"displayForm":"automat","slug":"automat"},{"displayForm":"automata","slug":"automata"},{"displayForm":"automata","slug":"automata"},{"displayForm":"automate","slug":"automate"},{"displayForm":"automate","slug":"automate"},{"displayForm":"automatic","slug":"automatic"},{"displayForm":"automatic","slug":"automatic"},{"displayForm":"astomatous","slug":"astomatous"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"automaton","slug":"automaton"},{"displayForm":"automation","slug":"automation"},{"displayForm":"automatous","slug":"automatous"},{"displayForm":"automat","slug":"automat"},{"displayForm":"automate","slug":"automate"},{"displayForm":"automated","slug":"automated"},{"displayForm":"automatic","slug":"automatic"},{"displayForm":"automatize","slug":"automatize"},{"displayForm":"auto top","slug":"auto-top"},{"displayForm":"tomato","slug":"tomato"},{"displayForm":"autocratic","slug":"autocratic"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"automaton"},"requestId":"M1a_qYv8Gwuuct7S6-9eg","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

automaton

Example Sentences

Related Words