diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 49eee82679a0..dad33c7c872c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -2301,7 +2301,8 @@ def get_autoscaley_on(self):
 
     def set_autoscale_on(self, b):
         """
-        Set whether autoscaling is applied on plot commands
+        Set whether autoscaling is applied to axes on the next draw or call to
+        `.Axes.autoscale_view`.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -2312,7 +2313,8 @@ def set_autoscale_on(self, b):
 
     def set_autoscalex_on(self, b):
         """
-        Set whether autoscaling for the x-axis is applied on plot commands
+        Set whether autoscaling for the x-axis is applied to axes on the next
+        draw or call to `.Axes.autoscale_view`.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -2322,7 +2324,8 @@ def set_autoscalex_on(self, b):
 
     def set_autoscaley_on(self, b):
         """
-        Set whether autoscaling for the y-axis is applied on plot commands
+        Set whether autoscaling for the y-axis is applied to axes on the next
+        draw or call to `.Axes.autoscale_view`.
 
         Parameters
         ----------