Word
spontaneous
Phoneticsspon·ta·neous
US/spɑnˈteɪniəs/
UK/spɒntˈeɪniəs/
Definitions
01unplanned or impulsive
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. done or said in a natural way without being planned first.
adj. arising from a momentary impulse or natural feeling rather than premeditation.
“We made a spontaneous decision to go to the beach since the weather was so beautiful.”
“The crowd broke into spontaneous applause as the soloist finished her performance, a reaction that clearly moved the young musician.”
Antonyms
02happening naturally
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
adj. happening on its own without any outside cause or help.
adj. occurring without apparent external influence or cause; self-generated.
Español:espontáneo
“The forest fire was caused by spontaneous combustion in the dry heat.”
“The chemical reaction was entirely spontaneous, requiring no external heat source to initiate the transformation of the compounds.”
Synonyms
03wild or uncultivated
C2 · Proficiency Literary
adj. growing or produced naturally without people planting or managing it.
adj. produced without human cultivation, labour, or intentional planting.
“The garden was filled with the spontaneous growth of local wildflowers.”
“The valley was noted for its spontaneous vegetation, where rare orchids flourished without any human intervention for centuries.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “spontaneous” in context.
Verb
01. be spontaneous
“It is good to plan your week, but you should also learn to be spontaneous sometimes.”
verb + adj
02. seem spontaneous
“Although the speech was carefully rehearsed, he made it seem spontaneous.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. entirely spontaneous
“The celebration was entirely spontaneous, with people joining in from all over the street.”
adv + adj
04. spontaneous applause
“The crowd broke into spontaneous applause after the singer finished the high note.”
adj + noun
05. spontaneous decision
“We made a spontaneous decision to drive to the beach for the weekend.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. spontaneous combustion
“The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of oily rags in the garage.”
adj + noun
07. respectively spontaneous
Real-World Examples
“Kent Police, which made no arrests, described it as a "spontaneous" protest, while Mike Tapp MP said questions need to be asked around why it appeared the police "didn't know about it".” “They want to have healthy families, and they have very high standards for what a healthy family is."
Going no contact is rarely a spontaneous or easy decision.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin spontāneus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
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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QR code
englishreference.com/q/spontaneous
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0