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
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.
Earl Decastro, 47, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawfully causing fire with great bodily injury and the illegal possession of more than 100 pounds of dangerous fireworks, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Evans says the gesture was a "an involuntary, subconscious twitch" that he was "unaware" of.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Positive contributions to the ETI included the share of involuntary part-time workers, which fell in May from April.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
In California, prosecutors brought involuntary manslaughter charges against the mother of a 14-year-old boy who allegedly struck and killed a man while riding an e-moto.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
An involuntary spasm came over Ma and her eyelids parted briefly, showing only the whites of her eyes.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
