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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in automatic
done instantly and without conscious thought or decision
breathing is involuntary
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of involuntary
Together with the Civil War Amendments, outlawing slavery and involuntary servitude and ensuring all citizens equal protection of the laws and due process of law, the Bill of Rights stands as a constant guardian of individual liberty.
—
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 25 Aug. 2025
Voluntary and involuntary staff departures in recent years have tanked web traffic and left it with a skeleton crew.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The petition for an order of involuntary commitment was approved in Sebastian County Circuit Court the following day, according to the motion, which includes a copy of the order.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Aug. 2025
Currently, the involuntary commitment law only deals with people suffering from mental illness and only allows them to be held for evaluation.
—Chris Wade, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 25 Aug. 2025
Voluntary and involuntary staff departures in recent years have tanked web traffic and left it with a skeleton crew.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2025
The petition for an order of involuntary commitment was approved in Sebastian County Circuit Court the following day, according to the motion, which includes a copy of the order.
—Arkansas Online, 18 Aug. 2025
Currently, the involuntary commitment law only deals with people suffering from mental illness and only allows them to be held for evaluation.
—Chris Wade, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for involuntary
Adjective
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Police determined the injury was accidental and not child abuse.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
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The sound does much of the work in action sequences obscured by blinding snowstorms and flashing emergency lights, punctuated by creative acts of accidental self-harm that save our protagonists from certain death more than once.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There is no semi-automatic offside system as in La Liga.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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The system has an automatic self-cleaning function and is designed for easy, tool-free filter replacement, with filters lasting from 12 to 24 months.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The audience demographics at these two SoCal shows was certainly interesting… a mixture of aspirational and actual Englishness, united in a tempory new world order marked by seemingly compulsory bucket hats.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
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The plan comes a decade after the government suspended compulsory duty and includes the possibility of reintroducing conscription if recruitment targets are not met, according to Reuters.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Butler never imagined Zimmerer – a typically non-spontaneous person – would drop everything to book a flight and travel more than 1,500 miles from Nebraska to be there.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Earlier in the tournament, Sinner said that their meetings now will never be quite as spontaneous as the epic five-setter here three years ago, which announced their rivalry to the world.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The money would provide for beginning mechanical removal of the algae mass in the most problematic areas and setting up test areas for the effectiveness of algicides, Miller said.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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And while ultrasound techniques can modulate the activity of neurons by delivering gentle mechanical pulses that influence how cells send signals, current systems have struggled to reach deeper areas of the brain with sufficient precision—until now.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Now that mandatory fee will nearly double on September 30 to $40.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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The Upper Basin has vocally refused to accept any mandatory cuts in its water use for the sake of the reservoirs.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Investors may be unwilling to pay a higher multiple for UTHR, especially amid rising competitive pressures.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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But wooing Western partners would likely involve some compromises that these dictators are probably unwilling to make.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond that, though, the history of the past couple of years shows that NVDA's stock move isn't a reliable directional driver of the broad tape beyond the reflex reaction.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
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During that second stay, a routine reflex test caused his leg to jerk violently, prompting a full spinal MRI.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/involuntary. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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