as in involuntarily
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Recent Examples of unwillingly
My apologies also go to my ex-girlfriend, who unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight.
—
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Those who came under suspicion were taken unwillingly to a military hospital in Pretoria, cut off from their families, and subjected to electric shocks.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
By the end of film, Lough somewhat unwillingly parts ways with SamBot—handing over the chatbot to Altman via tech journalist Kara Swisher—after pressure from producers worried about the legal risks of holding onto the deepfake.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
And after miraculously surviving the attack that left her with facial paralysis and a bullet forever lodged in her brain, Buttafuoco was immediately, unwillingly thrust into the spotlight.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The narrative follows Kim Phúc into adulthood—her education, religious awakening, defection to Canada, and, by taking ownership of the photograph in which she was unwillingly portrayed, her eventual emergence as a humanitarian advocate for child victims of conflict.
—Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Remember that the members of the military and the National Guard who will be asked to walk these streets are, for the most part, here unwillingly.
—USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Jake never did learn that Anna and Tess unwillingly switched bodies overnight.
—Mara Reinstein, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Those who came under suspicion were taken unwillingly to a military hospital in Pretoria, cut off from their families, and subjected to electric shocks.
—Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026
By the end of film, Lough somewhat unwillingly parts ways with SamBot—handing over the chatbot to Altman via tech journalist Kara Swisher—after pressure from producers worried about the legal risks of holding onto the deepfake.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
And after miraculously surviving the attack that left her with facial paralysis and a bullet forever lodged in her brain, Buttafuoco was immediately, unwillingly thrust into the spotlight.
—Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
The narrative follows Kim Phúc into adulthood—her education, religious awakening, defection to Canada, and, by taking ownership of the photograph in which she was unwillingly portrayed, her eventual emergence as a humanitarian advocate for child victims of conflict.
—Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Remember that the members of the military and the National Guard who will be asked to walk these streets are, for the most part, here unwillingly.
—USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Jake never did learn that Anna and Tess unwillingly switched bodies overnight.
—Mara Reinstein, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingly
Adverb
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The outburst followed an opening monologue from host Alan Cumming during which Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, was involuntarily ticking.—
John Ross,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
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About 10%-20% of people with the condition also have what’s known as coprolalia, which manifests in people involuntarily uttering profanity, ethnic slurs and other socially unacceptable words or phrases.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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With few options remaining, the government reluctantly returned to talks with the US but refused to budge on its demand to continue enriching uranium, a fuel for nuclear power plants that can also be used to build a bomb.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, Rangers President Chris Young spent the offseason reluctantly shedding payroll from a losing team, dismissing Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim from the regular 2023 World Series lineup.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingly. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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