involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˌ)in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē 
-ˌte-rē
Examples of involuntary in a Sentence
Breathing and circulation are involuntary processes.
When the door burst open, she let out an involuntary shriek.
The lawyer argued that the client's confession was involuntary.
Recent Examples on the Web
But in the case of screenwriter Jeremy Robbins, receiving an involuntary breather from the breakneck pace of TV writers’ rooms provided him the runway to write a spec feature script called Apex.
—
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
He was taken to jail under the Baker Act, a Florida law that allows for involuntary, emergency mental health observation for 72 hours, according to an incident report made public Wednesday about the May 2023 misdemeanor battery arrest from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
—Mike Schneider, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
While the legislature required most involuntary tows from apartments to be triggered by specific complaints, residents said towing companies are continuing to patrol public housing and low-income apartment complexes and tow cars for minor violations.
—Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.
—Reid Bg, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
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Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
He was taken to jail under the Baker Act, a Florida law that allows for involuntary, emergency mental health observation for 72 hours, according to an incident report made public Wednesday about the May 2023 misdemeanor battery arrest from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
—Mike Schneider, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
While the legislature required most involuntary tows from apartments to be triggered by specific complaints, residents said towing companies are continuing to patrol public housing and low-income apartment complexes and tow cars for minor violations.
—Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.
—Reid Bg, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for involuntary
Cite this Entry
“Involuntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/involuntary. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˈ)in-ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē
1
: not made or done willingly or from choice : unwilling
2
: being enforced or required : mandatory
3
: not normally under the control of the will
an involuntary response to a stimulus
Medical Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
(ˈ)in-ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē
: not subject to control of the will : reflex
involuntary contractions
Legal Definition
involuntary
adjective
in·vol·un·tary
in-ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē
: done, made, or initiated contrary to or without one's choice
an involuntary confession
an involuntary lien
an involuntary plaintiff joined in the action
involuntarily
adverb
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