Dictionary

involuntary en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/ (General-American, dialectal) of Canada
• /ɪnˈvɒl.ən.tɹi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɪnˈvɒl.ənˌtɛɹ.i/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
• /ɪnˈvɔl.ən.tɹi/ (Australia)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- Middle English voluntarie English voluntary English involuntary From in- + voluntary, from Late Latin involontarius, from in + volontarius.

Meanings

1. Without intention; unintentional.
   • In 2003, Christopher Below was in an interrogation room at the Evansville Police Department when he admitted to Detective Scott Thomas of the Evansville Police Department that he had shot Kathern Fetzer in his apartment and disposed of the body in a commercial trash bin. Her remains were never recovered, and Below pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. 2026 August 6, Nicholas Muhoro, “An Ohio Teen Vanished During a One-Mile Drive in 1994. Her Locked Car Was Found Hours Later”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2026:
2. Not voluntary or willing; contrary or opposed to explicit will or desire; unwilling.
   • He found himself the involuntary witness in the trial.

Forms

Deriveds

incel · involuntary muscle · inspin · involuntary movement · involuntarily · involuntary sculpture · involuntary manslaughter · involuntary park · involuntariness

Relateds

volunteer

Synonyms

unbewised (not voluntary) · unintended · inadvertent (without intention) · unvoluntary

Translations (58)

eo nevola (not voluntary or willing) · ru недоброво́льный (not voluntary or willing) · ru нево́льный (without intention; unintentional) · fr involontaire (without intention; unintentional) · pl mimowolny (not voluntary or willing) · pl mimowolny (without intention; unintentional) · pt involuntário (without intention; unintentional) · ru нево́льный (not voluntary or willing) · it involontario (without intention; unintentional) · pt involuntário (not voluntary or willing) · ca involuntari (without intention; unintentional) · de ungewollt (without intention; unintentional) · kmr xwenewîst (without intention; unintentional) · el ακούσιος (without intention; unintentional) · grc ἀκούιος (without intention; unintentional) · be няво́льны (without intention; unintentional) · cmn 不小心 (without intention; unintentional) · el αθέλητος (not voluntary or willing) · gl involuntario (without intention; unintentional) · fi tahaton (not voluntary or willing) · el ακούσιος (not voluntary or willing) · nl onwillekeurig (not voluntary or willing) · yue 唔小心 (without intention; unintentional) · es involuntario (not voluntary or willing) · eo nevola (without intention; unintentional) · uk мимові́льний (without intention; unintentional) · gv neuarryltagh (not voluntary or willing) · uk неві́льний (without intention; unintentional) · ru непроизво́льный (without intention; unintentional) · ka უნებლიე (without intention; unintentional) · nl niet intentioneel (without intention; unintentional) · ml അസ്വച്ഛന്ദ (not voluntary or willing) · de ohne es zu wollen (not voluntary or willing) · de unwillkürlich (without intention; unintentional) · ro involuntar (without intention; unintentional) · hu kényszerű (not voluntary or willing) · el αθέλητος (without intention; unintentional) · bg принуди́телен (not voluntary or willing) · ja 不本意 (not voluntary or willing) · be міжво́льны (without intention; unintentional) · fi vastentahtoinen (not voluntary or willing) · grc ἀκούιος (not voluntary or willing) · cmn 非自願 /非自愿 (not voluntary or willing) · be мімаво́льны (without intention; unintentional) · es involuntario (without intention; unintentional) · ru принуди́тельный (not voluntary or willing) · fi vahinko- (without intention; unintentional) · de unabsichtlich (without intention; unintentional) · de unfreiwillig (not voluntary or willing) · nb ufrivillig (without intention; unintentional) · fi tahaton (without intention; unintentional) · hu önkéntelen (without intention; unintentional) · bg нево́лен (without intention; unintentional) · ca involuntari (not voluntary or willing) · nn ufrivillig (without intention; unintentional) · kmr xwenewîst (not voluntary or willing) · bg недоброво́лен (not voluntary or willing) · hu akaratlan (without intention; unintentional)