involuntary

Adjective

Meaning

Not having will or the power of choice.

Not under the influence or control of the will; not voluntary; as, the involuntary movements of the body; involuntary muscle fibers.

Not proceeding from choice; done unwillingly; reluctant; compulsory; as, involuntary submission.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

nonvoluntary required forced automatic unconscious mandatory compulsory spontaneous reflex unavoidable reflexive inadvertent unintentional unvoluntary unwilled
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Antonyms

voluntary considered natural intended freewill chosen
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Phrases with the word

involuntary conditioning involuntary impulse involuntary contractions involuntary movement involuntary muscle tissue involuntary non-striated muscle

Examples

All beginnings are involuntary. Fernando Pessoa

The organizations of men, like men themselves, seem subject to deafness, nearsightedness, lameness, and involuntary cruelty. We seem tragically unable to help one another, to understand one another. John Cheever

Belief is involuntary; nothing involuntary is meritorious or reprehensible. A man ought not to be considered worse or better for his belief. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary. Mark Twain

Concupiscence and force are the source of all our actions; concupiscence causes voluntary actions, force involuntary ones. Blaise Pascal

Involuntary love is worthless. Sicilian Proverb

Close letter words and terms

involucrum involuntarily involuntariness involuntary abortion involuntary action involuntary behavior