automation

/ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"automation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“automation” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,567. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,567
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls.

Corpus desk

Index EN-automation · automation · English

automation · rank #9,567 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,567
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH Austrian

Nearest frequency peer: Austrian (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “automation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “automation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

automation vs automaton
90% similar
automation vs automatic
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for automation
PropertyValue
Headwordautomation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#9,567
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “automation”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).automationlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Austrian” (#9,566), “awe” (#9,568), “atlas” (#9,565). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “automation” is #9,567. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around automation (IPA /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,567 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for automation, with forms such as "atuomation", "auotmation", and "autmoation". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "automaton", "automatic", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From automatic + -ion or automaton + -ion; coined by a Ford Executive Vice President, Delmar S. Harder, in the 1940s. The correct English form is automation, spelled A-U-T-O-M-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how automation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. With all the discussion of automation, one point seems to have been largely overlooked. In a number of fields, automatic controls do not merely cut costs. They also make possible production processes that otherwise could not be attempted.
  2. The presidential campaign has been more focused on Bain Capital and an “apology tour” than on the challenges created by globalization and automation.

Etymology

From automatic + -ion or automaton + -ion; coined by a Ford Executive Vice President, Delmar S. Harder, in the 1940s.

This word in other languages

automatización(Español)automatisation(Français)Automatisierung(Deutsch)automação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atuomation
  • auotmation
  • autmoation
  • autoamtion
  • automaiton
  • automasion
  • automatino
  • automationn
  • automatoin
  • automattion
  • autommation
  • automtaion
  • auttomation
  • uatomation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of automation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

atuomation2auotmation2autmoation2autoamtion2automaiton2automasion1automatino2automationn1
Edit distance from "automation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "automation"?
"automation" is spelled A-U-T-O-M-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "automation" mean?
As a noun, "automation" means: The act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls.
What words are commonly confused with "automation"?
"automation" is commonly confused with "automaton", "automatic". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "automation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "automation" is /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "automation"?
From automatic + -ion or automaton + -ion; coined by a Ford Executive Vice President, Delmar S. Harder, in the 1940s. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "automation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

decorative#9,594definitive#9,595extraction#9,606protestant#9,515

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

balancing14 variantsconductor14 variantsdisclosed14 variantsdisturbed14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list