involuntary

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce involuntary (audio)
Definition of involuntarynext
1
as in accidental
not made or done willingly or by choice my long stays on the sidelines during our football games were strictly involuntary

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision breathing is involuntary

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in compulsory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law the abolition of involuntary servitude by civilized society

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of involuntary Apps like Naver work as alternatives, but recalibrating a travel habit that feels nearly involuntary takes time. — Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026 The result is symptoms that are involuntary, physically real and profoundly disabling, even though there is no damage happening to the brain or nervous system. — Mackenzi Moore, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026 As of Wednesday, Hilton remains hospitalized in Miami under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows for the involuntary hospitalization of those with severe mental health issues. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 Where the model has broken down is when departures happened without an anchor — when members left the group itself rather than just the label, or when a member’s exit was involuntary or acrimonious rather than mutually agreed. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for involuntary
  1. accidental
  2. automatic
  3. compulsory
  4. spontaneous
  5. mechanical
  6. mandatory
  7. unwilling
  8. reflex
Adjective
  • The impact-absorbing cushioning is also a plus for my grandma, as is the rubber sole, which prevents accidental falls or slips.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026
  • An investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department remains ongoing, but KTLA previously reported that officials believe the crash was accidental.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • While most of the vandals ripping down automatic license plate readers prefer to go incognito, an Albuquerque character named Jevon Martinez isn’t afraid to show his face.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Shohei Ohtani struck out four consecutive times for the first time this season, including in the 10th with an automatic runner at third.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of automatic
Adjective
  • In the Soviet Union, basic military training was compulsory in schools including gas mask drills, march practice, and rifle assembly.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Even though public schooling became compulsory in 1896, the language barrier and the remote location of many plantations led to gaps in access to these laborers’ formal education.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • In 2022, the pair took a big risk for their first date and went on a spontaneous trip to the World Cup in Qatar.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Thompson is particularly skilled at emotionally investing in his character’s plight even as the spontaneous production refuses to take itself too seriously.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of spontaneous
Adjective
  • This physical separation prevents signal interference and mechanical abrasion between heavy power lines, sensitive data channels, and fluid hoses.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The company said its new 50,000-metric-ton plant in Qidong, China, produced its first commercial batches of Xatryx bioTHF and bioPTMEG in August, roughly four months after reaching mechanical completion.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mechanical
Adjective
  • Just weeks before Florida’s order, Flock announced mandatory changes that will soon take effect to address privacy and misuse concerns, including an audit tool to flag abnormal search behavior, the Associated Press reported.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Engineers must decouple search-data integration from my formatting engine so that retrieving web information does not automatically trigger a mandatory text truncation.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of mandatory
Adjective
  • The willingness to act Politicians are often unwilling to do difficult things like cut spending or raise taxes, even in the best of times.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The film is set in 17th-century Europe, where two women fleeing the witch hunts create a refuge at the edge of the world, until a man becomes their unwilling captive and sparks a dangerous love triangle.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of unwilling
Adjective
  • Padmini smiled, though this appeared more reflex than friendliness.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • One breath, just long enough to let the reflex pass and judgment catch up.
    — Alfonso Cahero, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of reflex

Browse Nearby Words

involuntarily
involuntary
involute
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Cite this Entry

“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/involuntary. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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