Antonyms for spontaneous
spɒnˈteɪ ni əsspon·ta·neous

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.5 / 4 votes

1. spontaneous

   That is spontaneous which is freely done, with no external compulsion and, in human actions, without special premeditation or distinct determination of the will; that is voluntary which is freely done with distinct act of will; that is involuntary which is independent of the will, and perhaps in opposition to it; a willing act is not only in accordance with will, but with desire. Thus voluntary and involuntary, which are antonyms of each other, are both partial synonyms of spontaneous. We speak of spontaneous generation, spontaneous combustion, spontaneous sympathy, an involuntary start, an unbidden tear, voluntary agreement, willing submission. A babe's smile in answer to that of its mother is spontaneous; the smile of a pouting child wheedled into good humor is involuntary. In physiology the action of the heart and lungs is called involuntary; the growth of the hair and nails is spontaneous; the action of swallowing is voluntary up to a certain point, beyond which it becomes involuntary or automatic. In the fullest sense of that which is not only without the will but distinctly in opposition to it, or compulsory, involuntary becomes an antonym, not only of voluntary but of spontaneous; as, involuntary servitude. A spontaneous outburst of applause is of necessity an act of volition, but so completely dependent on sympathetic impulse that it would seem frigid to call it voluntary, while to call it involuntary would imply some previous purpose or inclination not to applaud.

   Synonyms:
   automatic, free, impulsive, instinctive, involuntary, unbidden, voluntary, willing

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. spontaneous

   Antonyms:
   involuntary, imposed, compulsionary, unwilling, necessitated, coercive

   Synonyms:
   voluntary, self-generated, self-originated, self-evolved, willing, unbidden, gratuitous

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. spontaneous, self-generatedadjective

   happening or arising without apparent external cause

   "spontaneous laughter"; "spontaneous combustion"; "a spontaneous abortion"

   Antonyms:
   written, induced, scripted, evoked, iatrogenic, elicited

   Synonyms:
   ad-lib, self-produced, self-generated, unwritten

2. ad-lib, spontaneous, unwrittenadjective

   said or done without having been planned or written in advance

   "he made a few ad-lib remarks"

   Antonyms:
   elicited, scripted, evoked, written, iatrogenic, induced

   Synonyms:
   unwritten, unrehearsed, ad-lib, oral, off-the-cuff, extemporaneous, extempore, self-generated, offhand, extemporary, impromptu, offhanded

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. spontaneousadjective

   Synonyms:
   instinctive, voluntary, impulsive, unforced

Editors ContributionRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. rigid

   inflexible, predictably unchanging

   john has a rigid personality, but steve is much more spontaneous and fun.

   Submitted by JP03 on October 27, 2014  

2. ritualistic

   not prescribed procedure

   Submitted by anonymous on October 12, 2020  

3. tactical

   Submitted by anonymous on August 16, 2020  

How to use spontaneous in a sentence?

1. Prince Harry:

   I didn’t see that as being a staged thing. I thought it was entirely spontaneous and clever in making the two brothers talk to each other, it was a deft move that shows the Duchess is not overawed by all that’s going on.

2. Mark Caine:

   Meticulous planning will enable everything a man does to appear spontaneous.

3. Dan Medina:

   I hope by showing that something we did spontaneous and the right way can lead to something further.

4. Dorothy Parker:

   I went to a convent in New York and was fired finally for my insistence that the Immaculate Conception was spontaneous combustion.

5. Lisa Murkowski:

   I think it was a little unfortunate that we had this very spontaneous vote on an extraordinarily significant matter without the considered debate and analysis. People had to make really quick decisions, i'm not saying there's bad faith, but I do think this is significant enough that it deserved greater consideration by this body and I think what you've seen now is people have been forced to take a quick position. Whether or not that changes as we move forward I think remains to be seen.

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