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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of involuntary
The state magistrate judge denied involuntary commitment, but the FBI did not give up and continued to build the case to charge him and detain him, according to investigators.
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Luke Barr, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
These involuntary meditative moments happened a lot during my stay.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
The novel explores the life of Scott Treder, a 47-year-old biology technician who begins experiencing involuntary jumps through time, and there’s been interest in mounting a feature adaptation for some time.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
Most were an involuntary removal and include providers such as Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green and Frankfort Independent Schools in Frankfort, among dozens of others.
—Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for involuntary
Adjective
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Elvyn Yohel Ramos Routt County Investigators also said Ramos filed an insurance claim reporting the fire as accidental.—
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In another show, with a lesser writer, such incongruities could be read as character inconsistencies, accidental oversights, mistakes.—
Adjective
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Membership is automatic for first-time guests who book a stay at rates running $3,000 to $5,000 a night for up to 10 people.—
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In 2024, some 45% of participants boosted 401(k) deferrals — on their own or as part of their plan’s automatic increases — according to Vanguard’s 2025 How America Saves report, which is based on more than 1,400 plans and nearly 5 million participants.—
Adjective
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More recently, the church was sued by a former employee over a policy of compulsory tithing.—
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The core design feature is compulsory arbitration, where everyone agrees that if there is a dispute, it is heard by a process overseen by the commissioner—and unlike litigation, it is conducted in private.—
Adjective
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Staff check in with you each morning and evening to tailor your day to your energy, mood, and goals, whether that's heli-fishing at dawn, a forest bathing session, or a spontaneous helicopter ride for a picnic on a glacier.—
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However, spontaneous and induced sleep promoted genome stability, suggesting that the evolution of sleep may have occurred to repair DNA damage and reduce cellular stress in simple nerve nets.—
Adjective
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
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Products like tractors, sprayers, irrigation equipment, mechanical pickers and fertilizer will also be exempt from the tax with the new cards.—
Adjective
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The negotiations have been mired in disagreements over how mandatory water cuts should be divided among the states.—
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On the production of child pornography offense, Sayer faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on each count.—
Adjective
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Dolphins a longshot at best, especially with Fins among teams unwilling to give Harbaugh say over the general manager.—
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Another violent image now joins the grim archive that has made Minnesota an unwilling stage for national trauma for years running.—
Adjective
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Or just a reflex mean-reversion trade in some laggard sectors at a time when the AI theme has become more fragmented and treacherous?—
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As a result, reflex time — a mechanic that emulated the slow-motion gunfights of Hard Boiled or The Matrix, or bullet time from Remedy’s Max Payne (2001) — would be a defining aspect of F.E.A.R.’s gameplay.—
Cite this Entry
“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/involuntary. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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