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
Related Words
See automatic.
Other Word Forms
- involuntarily adverb
- involuntariness noun
Etymology
Origin of involuntary
From the Late Latin word involuntārius, dating back to 1525–35. See in- 3, voluntary
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.
In a statement, Davidson said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”
From Los Angeles Times
Tourette syndrome is a motor disorder characterised by sudden, involuntary and repetitive movements or sounds, known as tics.
From BBC
In a statement on Monday, Davidson said he was "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning".
From BBC
All are common involuntary responses for an autistic person in a stressful situation, which a sudden encounter with law enforcement almost invariably is.
From Los Angeles Times
He said on Monday that he was "deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning".
From BBC
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.
