involuntary
Americanadjective
-
not voluntary; independent of one's will; not by one's own choice.
an involuntary listener; involuntary servitude.
-
unintentional; unconscious.
an involuntary gesture.
- Synonyms:
- instinctive
- Antonyms:
- intentional
-
Physiology. acting independently of or done or occurring without volition.
involuntary muscles.
- Synonyms:
- uncontrolled, reflex
adjective
-
carried out without one's conscious wishes; not voluntary; unintentional
-
physiol (esp of a movement or muscle) performed or acting without conscious control
Synonym Usage
See automatic.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of involuntary
From the Late Latin word involuntārius, dating back to 1525–35. See in- 3, voluntary
Explanation
Involuntary describes a reflex or action done without conscious control or will — like a blink, a sneeze, a yawn, or “the giggles.” If you volunteered to do it, it’s voluntary. If you didn’t volunteer, but you find yourself doing it anyway, it’s involuntary. This can go for the involuntary hiccups you wrestle with on your blind date, as well as the involuntary task you do at your manager’s insistence. Involuntary gets a lot of blame, but something that is involuntary is not necessarily bad: Breathing is involuntary, but you would probably do it anyway if given the choice.
Vocabulary lists containing involuntary
13th Amendment (1865)
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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"The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Involuntary servitude, however, is still in the Constitution.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2024
Involuntary manslaughter has been “well-defined for ages, and its elements are definite and plain: gross negligence causing death,” assistant prosecutor Joseph Shada said in a court filing.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 22, 2024
She has been appointed to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
From BBC • Aug. 29, 2023
Involuntary psychiatric detentions among youth, however, are at an all-time high in the province.
From Salon • May 27, 2023
Involuntary recoil before that stinging push of smoke brought them in under this.
From Foes by Johnston, Mary
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
