involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˌ)in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē 
-ˌte-rē
Synonyms
Examples of involuntary in a Sentence
Breathing and circulation are involuntary processes.
When the door burst open, she let out an involuntary shriek.
The lawyer argued that the client's confession was involuntary.
Recent Examples on the Web
The legislation allows family members to petition for the involuntary treatment of people debilitated by drug abuse.
—
The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Both already were involuntary guests at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Jail on unrelated grand theft charges, Baglin since February and Abad since December.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024
Your involuntary hospitality will likely result in an academic publication with your name on it.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2024
Among other points, the tribes said Reclamation must reject any plan that would force the five Colorado River Valley tribes, four of which have lands and water rights in Arizona, to accept involuntary or uncompensated reductions.
—The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2024
The main difference, of course, is that Britney Spears had been under involuntary conservatorship for more than a decade and had been deemed mentally unwell as a legal matter.
—Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Will this measure drive people into involuntary treatment? Nothing in the measure itself deals with involuntary inpatient treatment.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024
Preston Lord case: Deputies reassigned after suspect's parents get special treatment Arizona may expand involuntary psychiatric care — even with a flawed system.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024
Job performance was the top reason for most of the position levels for reason someone left involuntary with 15% for executives; 41% for managers; 35% for office and technical workers; and 47% for production workers.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024
Both already were involuntary guests at the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Jail on unrelated grand theft charges, Baglin since February and Abad since December.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024
Your involuntary hospitality will likely result in an academic publication with your name on it.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2024
Among other points, the tribes said Reclamation must reject any plan that would force the five Colorado River Valley tribes, four of which have lands and water rights in Arizona, to accept involuntary or uncompensated reductions.
—The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2024
The main difference, of course, is that Britney Spears had been under involuntary conservatorship for more than a decade and had been deemed mentally unwell as a legal matter.
—Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Will this measure drive people into involuntary treatment? Nothing in the measure itself deals with involuntary inpatient treatment.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024
Preston Lord case: Deputies reassigned after suspect's parents get special treatment Arizona may expand involuntary psychiatric care — even with a flawed system.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024
Job performance was the top reason for most of the position levels for reason someone left involuntary with 15% for executives; 41% for managers; 35% for office and technical workers; and 47% for production workers.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'involuntary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near involuntary
Cite this Entry
“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/involuntary. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˈ)in-ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē
1
: not made or done willingly or from choice : unwilling
2
: being enforced or required : mandatory
3
: not normally under the control of the will
an involuntary response to a stimulus
Medical Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˈ)in-ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē
: not subject to control of the will : reflex
involuntary contractions
Legal Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē
: done, made, or initiated contrary to or without one's choice
an involuntary confession
an involuntary lien
an involuntary plaintiff joined in the action
involuntarily
adverb
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