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involuntary

[ in-vol-uhn-ter-ee ]
/ ɪnˈvɒl ənˌtɛr i /
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See synonyms for: involuntary / involuntarily on Thesaurus.com

adjective
not voluntary; independent of one's will; not by one's own choice: an involuntary listener; involuntary servitude.
unintentional; unconscious: an involuntary gesture.
Physiology. acting independently of or done or occurring without volition: involuntary muscles.
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Origin of involuntary

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

synonym study for involuntary

1, 3. See automatic.

OTHER WORDS FROM involuntary

in·vol·un·tar·i·ly [in-vol-uhn-ter-uh-lee, -vol-uhn-tair-], /ɪnˈvɒl ənˌtɛr ə li, -ˌvɒl ənˈtɛər-/, adverbin·vol·un·tar·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use involuntary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for involuntary

involuntary
/ (ɪnˈvɒləntərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective
carried out without one's conscious wishes; not voluntary; unintentional
physiol (esp of a movement or muscle) performed or acting without conscious control

Derived forms of involuntary

involuntarily, adverbinvoluntariness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for involuntary

involuntary
[ ĭn-vŏlən-tĕr′ē ]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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