UNWILLINGLY Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

unwillingly

adverb

as in involuntarily

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unwillingly Musashi becomes unwillingly bound to the mystical Oni Gauntlet. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Two years after his death, and even longer since Missing Richard Simmons forced him unwillingly into the public eye, Diane Sawyer is trying to get to the bottom of why the fitness guru hid inside his house for a decade. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2026 The Ada County Highway District is a gubernatorial signature away from unwillingly adopting a countywide, partisan vote after the Legislature passed an 11th-hour bill to overhaul how the district’s board is elected. — Mark Dee april 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 Apr. 2026 My apologies also go to my ex-girlfriend, who unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026 Those who came under suspicion were taken unwillingly to a military hospital in Pretoria, cut off from their families, and subjected to electric shocks. — Eve Fairbanks, The Dial, 27 Jan. 2026 And after miraculously surviving the attack that left her with facial paralysis and a bullet forever lodged in her brain, Buttafuoco was immediately, unwillingly thrust into the spotlight. — Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026 By the end of film, Lough somewhat unwillingly parts ways with SamBot—handing over the chatbot to Altman via tech journalist Kara Swisher—after pressure from producers worried about the legal risks of holding onto the deepfake. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026 The narrative follows Kim Phúc into adulthood—her education, religious awakening, defection to Canada, and, by taking ownership of the photograph in which she was unwillingly portrayed, her eventual emergence as a humanitarian advocate for child victims of conflict. — Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingly

Adverb

This includes not only people who are unemployed and looking for a job, but also those who are involuntarily working part-time and who are earning poverty-level wages, or less than $26,000 annually before taxes.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
That order applied to nearly 8,000 active-duty and reserve troops who were involuntarily separated after refusing the shot, more than half of whom did not receive honorable discharges.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 23 July 2026

Definition of involuntarily

Adverb

Ross's journey began reluctantly, encouraged by her father, with parents fostering internal motivation and valuing effort over winning.

— Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
At times during the program’s lean years, the Canes were so bereft of elite talent that when a skilled player groused or lollygagged, it was reluctantly tolerated.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of reluctantly

Browse Nearby Words

unwilling

unwillingly

unwillingness

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“Unwillingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingly. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of unwillingly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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