involuntary

American  

[in-vol-uhn-ter-ee] / ɪnˈvɒl ənˌtɛr i /

adjective

1. not voluntary; independent of one's will; not by one's own choice.

   an involuntary listener; involuntary servitude.

2. unintentional; unconscious.

   an involuntary gesture.

   Synonyms:

   instinctive

   Antonyms:

   intentional

3. Physiology. acting independently of or done or occurring without volition.

   involuntary muscles.

   Synonyms:

   uncontrolled, reflex

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involuntary British  

/ -trɪ, ɪnˈvɒləntərɪ /

adjective

1. carried out without one's conscious wishes; not voluntary; unintentional

2. physiol (esp of a movement or muscle) performed or acting without conscious control

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involuntary Scientific  

/ ĭn-vŏl′ən-tĕr′ē /

1. Not under conscious control. Most of the biological processes in animals that are vital to life, such as contraction of the heart, blood flow, breathing, and digestion, are involuntary and controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

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Related Words

See automatic.

Other Word Forms

• involuntarily adverb
• involuntariness noun

Etymology

Origin of involuntary

From the Late Latin word involuntārius, dating back to 1525–35. See in- ³, voluntary

Example Sentences

I take an involuntary step back as the space seems to get tighter, pushing in on me, and my heart hammers in the hollow at the bottom of my throat.

From Literature

She now gets involuntary tremors and suffers chronic pain.

From BBC

A last resort would be a conservatorship, which is an involuntary process and takes place when a person is unable to take care of their finances.

From MarketWatch

I supposed this was James, and despite my scorn for Ma’s little ploy, an involuntary tic of curiosity ran through me.

From Literature

I cried out in pain, an involuntary guttural sound.

From Literature

Related Words

• compulsory
• forced
• spontaneous
• uncontrolled
• unintentional