Word
involuntary
Phoneticsin·vol·un·tary
US/ˌɪnˈvɑɫənˌtɛɹi/
UK/ɪnvˈɒləntəɹi/
Definition
adj. something that happens without you choosing to do it. You use this to describe a movement or action your body makes on its own.
adj. done without conscious control or intention; occurring as a reflex or automatic response. Often used in medical or physiological contexts to describe muscle movements.
Examples
“A sneeze is an involuntary reaction to dust.”
“The patient experienced involuntary muscle spasms in his left leg after the long surgery.”
“While some physical responses are purely involuntary, others can be partially regulated through deep breathing and focused mindfulness techniques.”
Examples
simple
“A sneeze is an involuntary reaction to dust.”
contextual
“The patient experienced involuntary muscle spasms in his left leg after the long surgery.”
complex
“While some physical responses are purely involuntary, others can be partially regulated through deep breathing and focused mindfulness techniques.”
Usage
Often appears before nouns like 'action', 'response', 'muscle', or 'movement'.
Pitfall
an involuntary of the hand
an involuntary movement of the hand
Involuntary is an adjective and must modify a noun; it cannot be used as a noun itself.
Real-World Examples
“While a voluntary move to better work can be beneficial, an involuntary move with weaker prospects is a different experience.” “This led Pfungst to conclude that Hans was simply responding to involuntary signals from his owner, signals that his owner did not even realize he was providing.” Etymology
From in- + voluntary, from Late Latin involontarius, from in + volontarius.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/involuntary