automatonlike

9.3

Showing no feeling and acting like a machine

adjective
/ˌɔːtəˈmætənˌlaɪk/

Offensive

: mecánico

She responded to every question in an automatonlike manner, without showing any emotion.

Examples

His automatonlike performance made it clear he was merely going through the motions.
During the meeting, her replies became increasingly automatonlike, as if she was on autopilot.
Don't be so automatonlike!
His response was automatonlike and lacked any real emotion.
During the meeting, her replies became increasingly automatonlike, as if she was on autopilot.
His automatonlike performance made it clear he was merely going through the motions.
She responded to every question in an automatonlike manner, without showing any emotion.

Synonyms

automatic

vsautomatonlike

48 3.7

Done without thinking, like a quick natural reaction

relies on mechanical absence of spontaneity and feeling rather than simple reflex

robotic

vsautomatonlike

12 5.2

Behaving like a machine, showing no feeling or interest

focuses on lacking spontaneity and feeling rather than external control

machinelike

vsautomatonlike

1 6.7

Acting in a very exact, automatic way without showing feeling

is broader, stressing lack of spontaneity rather than precise exactness

robotlike

vsautomatonlike

6.8

Acting like a machine without feeling or choice

describes actual unthinking mechanical functioning rather than mere appearance

Antonyms

spontaneous

187 4.2

Happening naturally without planning or outside cause

How Mechanical

robotic

58 4.6

automatonlike

Offensive

9.3

stiff

65 5.1

natural

660 1.0

Surface Forms

automatonlike positive

Morphology

automatonlike = automaton (transparent) = automaton + like

Formed by the clear adjective-forming suffix '-like' meaning 'resembling an automaton', so the meaning is directly derived from the base.

Etymology

The word automatonlike comes from automaton, which has auto- meaning 'self' and a part that means 'move', so an automaton is something that 'moves by itself' like a robot or an automatic machine. That's why automatonlike describes a person who acts without feeling or surprise, as if they are on autopilot.