involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˌ)in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē 
-ˌte-rē
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
Her mental health began to suffer, and following two involuntary psychiatric holds and losing custody of her sons in 2008, Jamie Spears was granted a temporary conservatorship over his daughter.
—
Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Violators can also avoid charges if less than six months before the incident, they were released after involuntary commitment to a mental health treatment center.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 4 Mar. 2026
Davidson has a form of Tourette syndrome called coprolalia, which is the involuntary use of offensive or insensitive language.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
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Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Violators can also avoid charges if less than six months before the incident, they were released after involuntary commitment to a mental health treatment center.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 4 Mar. 2026
Davidson has a form of Tourette syndrome called coprolalia, which is the involuntary use of offensive or insensitive language.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Cite this Entry
“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/involuntary. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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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