Dictionary

involuntarily en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɪnˈvɒlənˌtɛɹɪli/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ɪnˈvɒləntɹɪli/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪnˈvɔləntɹɪli/ (Australia)
• /ɪnˌvɑlənˈtɛɹɪli/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada

Etymology

From involuntary + -ly or in- + voluntarily.

Meanings

1. In an involuntary manner; done without conscious thought.
   • Kennedy’s vocal rasp is not caused by an infection or respiratory condition. Instead, he has spasmodic dysphonia, a rare neurological condition in which the muscles that open and close his vocal cords spasm involuntarily, creating a strained or strangled quality to his speech. 2025 January 29, Sandee LaMotte, “A rare brain disorder robbed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of his strong speaking voice”, in CNN:
   • He involuntarily overheard the conversation.
   • Her leg twitched involuntarily.
   • His eyes filled with tears, as he took up the glittering lengths. Their pale gold was lovely as ever; but there was something in the touch from which he involuntarily recoiled. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Last Letter”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 283:

Forms

Relateds

unwillingly

Translations (25)

fr sans le faire exprès (in an involuntary manner) · pl mimowolnie (in an involuntary manner) · fi vastentahtoisesti (in an involuntary manner) · grc ἀκουσίως (in an involuntary manner) · fr involontairement (in an involuntary manner) · ca involuntàriament (in an involuntary manner) · hu akaratlanul (in an involuntary manner) · ro involuntar (in an involuntary manner) · pt involuntariamente (in an involuntary manner) · de unabsichtlich (in an involuntary manner) · eo nevole (in an involuntary manner) · pl machinalnie (in an involuntary manner) · fi tahattomasti (in an involuntary manner) · ru нево́льно (in an involuntary manner) · es involuntariamente (in an involuntary manner) · de unwillkürlich (in an involuntary manner) · gl involuntariamente (in an involuntary manner) · pl niechcący (in an involuntary manner) · nl onwillekeurig (in an involuntary manner) · fi vastoin tahtoaan (in an involuntary manner) · it involontariamente (in an involuntary manner) · hy ակամա (in an involuntary manner) · hu önkéntelenül (in an involuntary manner) · fi tahtomattaan (in an involuntary manner) · ka უნებლიეთ (in an involuntary manner)