involuntary

[in-vol-uhn-ter-ee]

adjective

1. not voluntary; independent of one's will; not by one's own choice.

   an involuntary listener; involuntary servitude.

2. unintentional; unconscious.

   an involuntary gesture.

   Synonyms: instinctive
   Antonyms: intentional

3. Physiology.,  acting independently of or done or occurring without volition.

   involuntary muscles.

   Synonyms: uncontrolled, reflex

involuntary

/ -trɪ, ɪnˈvɒləntərɪ /

adjective

1. carried out without one's conscious wishes; not voluntary; unintentional

2. physiol (esp of a movement or muscle) performed or acting without conscious control

involuntary

1. Not under conscious control. Most of the biological processes in animals that are vital to life, such as contraction of the heart, blood flow, breathing, and digestion, are involuntary and controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Other Word Forms

• involuntarily adverb
• involuntariness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of involuntary¹

From the Late Latin word involuntārius, dating back to 1525–35. See in- ³, voluntary

Synonym Study

See automatic.

Example Sentences

According to the charity Tourettes Action, the key symptoms are involuntary movements or tics and the condition affects one school child in every 100.

Read more on BBC

When co-host Lawrence Jones suggested that those refusing these programs could be jailed, Kilmeade escalated his rhetoric: “Or involuntary lethal injection, or something. Just kill ’em.”

Read more on Salon

Coprolalia - involuntary swearing - isn't typical, although it's often the focus of media attention.

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Kilmeade added: “Or involuntary lethal injection or something — just kill ‘em.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Kilmeade responded, “Or involuntary lethal injection … or something. Just kill ’em.”

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• compulsory 
• forced 
• spontaneous 
• uncontrolled 
• unintentional