spontaneous Definition
spon·ta·neous (spän tā′nē əs)
adjective
- acting in accordance with or resulting from a natural feeling, impulse, or tendency, without any constraint, effort, or premeditation
- having no apparent external cause or influence; occurring or produced by its own energy, force, etc. or through internal causes; self-acting
- growing naturally without being planted or tended; indigenous; wild
Etymology: LL spontaneus < L sponte, of free will < IE base *(s)pen(d)-, to pull > spin
spontaneous Related Forms
spontaneous Synonyms
spontaneous
modif.
Antonyms
spontaneous applies to that which is done so naturally that it seems to come without prompting or premeditation a spontaneous demonstration; impulsive applies to that which is prompted by some external incitement or sudden inner inclination rather than by conscious rational volition an impulsive retort; instinctive suggests an immediate, unwilled response to a stimulus, as if prompted by some natural, 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 scowl, an involuntary flicker of the eyelid; automatic suggests an unvarying, machinelike reaction to a given stimulus or situation an automatic response
spontaneous Usage Examples
Adjective complement with noun phrase
- do: Do something spontaneous, go see a film, have a picnic in the park.
- make: These conditions may not sound appealing but they do make the diving more spontaneous as you never know what the shadow above you are.
- keep: Don't be too organized, keep things spontaneous, but try to see as many of your favorite bands as you can.
Modifies a noun
- abortion: Title The factor V Leiden mutation in Japanese couples with recurrent spontaneous abortion.
- combustion: I saw a pair of shoes by the bushes: spontaneous human combustion?
- applause: Spontaneous applause breaks out at the end of several of his appeals.
- remission: In one study of cancer patients who experienced spontaneous remission, more than four out of five had changed their diet!
- miscarriage: There is evidence that significant FMH only occurs after curettage to remove products of conception but does not occur after complete spontaneous miscarriages.
- outburst: By just being in close proximity, the Referee can ( without actually doing anything ) provoke a spontaneous outburst from irate players.
Modifying Another Word
- seemingly: There are no medieval ' research articles ' and not many systematic, seemingly spontaneous meditations on philosophical topics by theologians.
- apparently: In contrast, change sometimes unfolds in an apparently spontaneous and unplanned way.
- entirely: This will not be an entirely spontaneous occasion: a program will be compiled about a week ahead.
- totally: Generally thought to be a superb gig, the audience were noted to have burst into totally spontaneous mid-song applause more than once!
- completely: But I didn't feel very comfortable in the pop music world so I went to Japan in 1972 - a completely spontaneous act.
- largely: Although emotions are largely spontaneous, they can be managed to some extent.
Used with adjective complement
- become: The coupled reaction of electron transfer with H + ejection becomes spontaneous.
- seem: Taking expressive freedom in throwing to an extreme, its conception seems comparatively spontaneous, different to his more complex assemblies.
- sound: The contemporary worshipper, however, wants the language of worship to sound spontaneous, because he values spontaneity over imitation.
- appear: Questions should be carefully planned but appear spontaneous during the session.
- look: Her art, that looks so spontaneous, is intricate.
Browse dictionary entries near spontaneous
- ‹ spontaneity
- ‹ sponsorship
- ‹ sponsored domain
- ‹ sponsor
- ‹ sponson
- ‹ sponsion
- ‹ spongy
- ‹ spongin
- ‹ spongeware
- ‹ sponger
- spontaneous combustion ›
- spontaneous generation ›
- spontaneously ›
- spontoon ›
- spoof ›
- spoofing ›
- spook ›
- spooky ›
- spool ›
- spoon ›

