involuntarily
Against one's will
Without choosing to or meaning to—the action happens against one's will or without conscious control.
A person might involuntarily flinch at a loud noise, involuntarily gasp at shocking news, or find themselves involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility.
The word covers both reflexive bodily responses and situations where external forces override personal choice.
Without intent or design
- unwittinglyWithout awareness or intention
- inadvertentlyWithout conscious intention
- unconsciouslyWithout being aware
- unthinkinglyWithout conscious deliberation
mistakenly · subconsciously · automatically · instinctively · impulsively · spontaneously · reflexively · mechanically
Involuntary stimulus response
- blinkRapid lid movement
- sneezeExplosive nasal reflex
- coughExplosive airway clearing
- gagMouth restraint or jest
hiccup · shiver · twitch · flinch · startle · yawn · swallow · tremor
Made to occur unwillingly
- compelledMade to act
- conscriptedInvoluntarily enlisted for duty
- draftedEnlisted by requirement
- enslavedMade someone's property
indentured · shanghaied · commandeered · requisitioned · extorted · blackmailed · pressured · subjugated
By force of rule
- obligatorilyBy force of requirement
- by lawInternal organizational regulation
- statutorilyBy enacted law
- prescriptivelyIn rule-imposing manner
by decree · forcibly · under protest · against one's will · reluctantly · unwillingly · grudgingly
accidentally
Without intent or design
- unwittinglyWithout awareness or intention
- inadvertentlyWithout conscious intention
- unconsciouslyWithout being aware
unthinkingly · mistakenly · subconsciously · automatically · instinctively · impulsively · spontaneously · reflexively · mechanically · habitually
reflex
Involuntary stimulus response
gag · hiccup · shiver · twitch · flinch · startle · yawn · swallow · tremor · spasm
forced
Made to occur unwillingly
- compelledMade to act
- conscriptedInvoluntarily enlisted for duty
- draftedEnlisted by requirement
enslaved · indentured · shanghaied · commandeered · requisitioned · extorted · blackmailed · pressured · subjugated · overpowered
mandatorily
By force of rule
- obligatorilyBy force of requirement
- by lawInternal organizational regulation
- statutorilyBy enacted law
by decree · prescriptively · forcibly · under protest · against one's will · reluctantly · unwillingly · grudgingly
- unintentionallyaccidentally, unintentionally, inadvertently, unwittingly, by accident
- autopilot modeautopilot, automatic, unconscious, subconscious, instinctively
involuntarilyvoluntarily
Without external compulsion
willingly · by choice · of one's own accord · of one's own free will · freely
involuntarilyintentionally
By conscious choice
deliberately · purposely · designedly · on purpose · consciously
volunteer, voluntary, volition, volunteered, malevolence, involuntary, volunteers, benevolence, voluntarily