Spontaneous acts are not planned or arranged, but are done because someone suddenly wants to do them.
Their spontaneous outbursts of song were accompanied by lively music.
I joined in the spontaneous applause.
Synonyms: unplanned, impromptu, unprompted, willing More Synonyms of spontaneous
spontaneouslyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb, oft ADVERB adjective]
As soon as the tremor passed, many people spontaneously arose and cheered.
He was never spontaneously warm or friendly towards us.
Synonyms: voluntarily, freely, instinctively, impromptu More Synonyms of spontaneous
2. adjective
A spontaneous event happens because of processes within something rather than being caused by things outsideit.
I had another spontaneous miscarriage at around the 16th to 18th week.
...a spontaneous explosion.
spontaneouslyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
Usually a woman's breasts produce milk spontaneously after the birth.
These images surface spontaneously in dreams.
Synonyms: automatically, instinctively, involuntarily, unthinkingly More Synonyms of spontaneous
More Synonyms of spontaneous
spontaneous in British English
(spɒnˈteɪnɪəs)
adjective
1.
occurring, produced, or performed through natural processes without external influence
spontaneous movement
2.
arising from an unforced personal impulse; voluntary; unpremeditated
a spontaneous comment
3.
(of plants) growing naturally; indigenous
Derived forms
spontaneously (sponˈtaneously)
adverb
spontaneousness (sponˈtaneousness)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Late Latin spontāneus, from Latin sponte voluntarily
spontaneous in American English
(spɑnˈteɪniəs)
adjective
1.
acting in accordance with or resulting from a natural feeling, impulse, or tendency, without any constraint, effort, or premeditation
2.
having no apparent external cause or influence; occurring or produced by its own energy, force, etc.or through internal causes; self-acting
3.
growing naturally without being planted or tended; indigenous; wild
SYNONYMY NOTE: spontaneous applies to that which is done so naturally that it seems to come without promptingor premeditation [a spontaneous demonstration]; impulsive applies to that which is prompted by some external incitement or sudden inner inclinationrather than by conscious rational volition [an impulsive retort]; instinctive suggests an instantaneous, unwilled response to a stimulus, as if prompted by somenatural, inborn tendency [he took an instinctive liking to her]; involuntary refers to that which is done without thought or volition, as a reflex action [an involuntary flicker of the eyelid]; automatic suggests an unvarying, machinelike reaction to a given stimulus or situation [an automatic response]
OPPOSITES: deliberate, voluntary
Derived forms
spontaneously (sponˈtaneously)
adverb
spontaneousness (sponˈtaneousness)
noun
Word origin
LL spontaneus < L sponte, of free will < IE base *(s)pen(d)-, to pull > spin
Examples of 'spontaneous' in a sentence
spontaneous
There has to be some spontaneous reaction to scoring.
The Sun (2011)
They were enthusiastic to the point of spontaneous combustion.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Both sets drew spontaneous applause as soon as the curtain rose.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The demonstration which he helped organise was not spontaneous but planned.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It was a spontaneous act with a tin opener.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The drawing remains a permanent reminder of that spontaneous and kind gesture.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Other cases of spontaneous combustion have a weather explanation.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But again there must be a balance of both planned and spontaneous worship.
Christianity Today (2000)
It will kill off millions of the spontaneous acts of help and friendship that bind us to other people.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Other cases of spontaneous human combustion have been reported in various parts of the world but are extremely rare.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They are so warm and spontaneous.
The Sun (2015)
Then they burst into spontaneous applause.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The spontaneous gesture won much praise.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The players obviously all heard the nick - you could see that from their spontaneous reaction.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word hasn't yet come back on whether spontaneous applause did follow.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Whether you get spontaneous applause or not, you have earned it.
O'Connor, Joseph & Seymour, John Training with N.L.P. (1994)
Sympathy is the spontaneous reaction when sportsmen suffer the kind of experience inflicted on the England rugby team yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
spontaneous
British English: spontaneous /spɒnˈteɪnɪəs/ ADJECTIVE
Spontaneous acts are not planned or arranged, but are done because someone suddenly wants to do them.
I joined in the spontaneous applause.
American English: spontaneous
Arabic: عَفَوِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: espontâneo
Chinese: 自发的
Croatian: spontan
Czech: spontánní
Danish: spontan
Dutch: spontaan
European Spanish: espontáneo
Finnish: spontaani
French: spontané
German: spontan
Greek: αυθόρμητος
Italian: spontaneo
Japanese: 自発的な
Korean: 자발적인
Norwegian: spontan
Polish: spontaniczny
European Portuguese: espontâneo
Romanian: spontan
Russian: спонтанный
Latin American Spanish: espontáneo
Swedish: spontan
Thai: ซึ่งกระทำเองโดยทันที
Turkish: kendiliğinden
Ukrainian: спонтанний
Vietnamese: tự phát
Chinese translation of 'spontaneous'
spontaneous
(spɔnˈteɪnɪəs)
adj
(= unplanned) 自然而然的 (zìrán ér rán de)
[explosion, miscarriage]自然的 (zìrán de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
not planned or arranged
I joined in the spontaneous applause.
Synonyms
unplanned
impromptu
They put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.
unprompted
willing
free
a confidential but free manner
natural
voluntary
a voluntary act undertaken in full knowledge of the consequences
instinctive
impulsive
The press claim that she is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister.
unforced
unbidden
uncensored mental images and unbidden thoughts
unconstrained
unpremeditated
extempore
He made some heated and extempore remarks.
uncompelled
Opposites
planned
,
arranged
,
calculated
,
forced
,
studied
,
mannered
, deliberate,
orchestrated
,
contrived
,
premeditated
,
stage-managed
,
prearranged
,
preplanned
2 (adjective)
Definition
occurring through natural processes without outside influence
a spontaneous reaction
Synonyms
reflex
I turned to look inside the house in a reflex action.
natural
Jan's sister was as natural and friendly as the rest of the family.
instinctive
It's an instinctive reaction. If a child falls you pick it up.
unconscious
an unconscious desire expressed solely during sleep
mechanical
His retort was mechanical.
involuntary
A surge of pain caused me to give an involuntary shudder.
instinctual
unwilled
Additional synonyms
in the sense of extempore
Definition
without planning or preparation
He made some heated and extempore remarks.
Synonyms
impromptu,
improvised,
unprepared,
unplanned,
off-the-cuff (informal),
offhand,
ad lib,
unpremeditated,
extemporaneous,
extemporary
in the sense of free
a confidential but free manner
Synonyms
relaxed,
open,
easy,
forward,
natural,
frank,
liberal,
familiar,
loose,
casual,
informal,
spontaneous,
laid-back (informal),
easy-going (informal),
lax,
uninhibited,
unforced,
free and easy,
unbidden,
unconstrained,
unceremonious
in the sense of impromptu
Definition
without planning or preparation
They put on an impromptu concert for the visitors.
Synonyms
spontaneous,
improvised,
unprepared,
off-the-cuff (informal),
offhand,
ad-lib,
unscripted,
unrehearsed,
unpremeditated,
extempore,
unstudied,
extemporaneous,
extemporized
Synonyms of 'spontaneous'
spontaneous
Explore 'spontaneous' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of impulsive
Definition
done without thinking first
The press claim that she is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister.
Synonyms
instinctive,
emotional,
unpredictable,
quick,
passionate,
rash,
spontaneous,
precipitate,
intuitive,
hasty,
headlong,
impetuous,
devil-may-care,
unconsidered,
unpremeditated
in the sense of instinctive
Definition
done or happening without any logical thought
It's an instinctive reaction. If a child falls you pick it up.
Synonyms
natural,
inborn,
automatic,
unconscious,
mechanical,
native,
inherent,
spontaneous,
reflex,
innate,
intuitive,
subconscious,
involuntary,
visceral,
unthinking,
instinctual,
unlearned,
hard-wired,
unpremeditated,
intuitional
in the sense of involuntary
Definition
(esp. of a movement or muscle) performed or acting without conscious control
A surge of pain caused me to give an involuntary shudder.
Synonyms
unintentional,
automatic,
unconscious,
spontaneous,
reflex,
instinctive,
uncontrolled,
unthinking,
instinctual,
blind,
unconditioned
in the sense of mechanical
Definition
(of a task) not requiring any thought
His retort was mechanical.
Synonyms
unthinking,
routine,
automatic,
matter-of-fact,
cold,
unconscious,
instinctive,
lacklustre,
involuntary,
impersonal,
habitual,
cursory,
perfunctory,
unfeeling,
machine-like,
emotionless,
spiritless
in the sense of natural
Definition
genuine or spontaneous
Jan's sister was as natural and friendly as the rest of the family.
Synonyms
unaffected,
open,
frank,
genuine,
spontaneous,
candid,
unpretentious,
unsophisticated,
dinkum (Australian, New Zealand, informal),
artless,
ingenuous,
real,
simple,
unstudied
in the sense of unbidden
Definition
not ordered or asked
uncensored mental images and unbidden thoughts
Synonyms
spontaneous,
free,
voluntary,
uninvited,
willing,
unwanted,
unwelcome,
unforced,
unasked,
unprompted
in the sense of unconscious
Definition
coming from or produced by the unconscious
an unconscious desire expressed solely during sleep
Synonyms
subconscious,
automatic,
suppressed,
repressed,
inherent,
reflex,
instinctive,
innate,
hard-wired,
involuntary,
latent,
subliminal,
unrealized,
gut (informal)
in the sense of unpremeditated
Synonyms
unplanned,
spontaneous,
impromptu,
unprepared,
impulsive,
spur-of-the-moment,
off the cuff (informal),
offhand,
extempore
in the sense of voluntary
Definition
done or undertaken by free choice
a voluntary act undertaken in full knowledge of the consequences