automatism

noun

Pronunciation: ɔːˈtɒmətɪzəm

Definition

Involuntary action or behavior performed without conscious thought or intention.

Examples

• The sleepwalker moved with a strange automatism, navigating the hallway without waking up.

• Surrealist poets practiced writing through automatism to bypass the censor of the rational mind.

• The repetitive, mechanical nature of his work eventually devolved into mere automatism.

Synonyms of automatism

Words with a similar meaning to automatism:

• habit
• reflex
• spontaneity
• involuntariness

Antonyms of automatism

Words with the opposite meaning to automatism:

• volition
• deliberation

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary