as in involuntarily
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Recent Examples of unwillingly
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
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
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
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
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
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
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
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
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
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingly
Adverb
-
The law mandates a mental health evaluation for a suspect who is charged with a violent crime and has been involuntarily committed in the last three years, or if a judge or magistrate is concerned that the suspect might be dangerous.—
Ryan Oehrli,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2026
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Hosted by comedian Greg Davies, tonight’s awards represented BAFTA and the BBC’s first big test since the Film Awards, when tourette’s campaigner John Davidson involuntarily yelled a racial slur at the stars of Sinners.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
Adverb
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But both are good at solving crimes, and here in season 2, Eddie is reluctantly stuck in her hometown when an arm turns up in the mouth of a dead alligator, and many more body parts arrive over time.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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The sardonic clip sees Ford reluctantly trade in his signature leather jacket for a kilt and valiantly plug Glenmorangie while standing atop a hill.—
Marissa G. Muller,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingly. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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