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
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.
A last resort would be a conservatorship, which is an involuntary process and takes place when a person is unable to take care of their finances.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
“There is an involuntary review,” he says, “in between the multiple times per day I nap. But it’s not a grieving lament.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
“The panel noted that the laws regarding a seaman’s manslaughter differ from those of involuntary manslaughter.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
A regional court in Katowice sentenced one, who was also charged with causing involuntary manslaughter, to 18 months in prison and barred him from practicing medicine for six years.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
“You brought a snack?” he asked, his expression incredulous as he took an involuntary step forward.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
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.
