spontaneous

adjective

spon·ta·ne·ous spän-ˈtā-nē-əs How to pronounce spontaneous (audio)

: proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external constraint

: arising from a momentary impulse

: controlled and directed internally : self-acting

spontaneous movement characteristic of living things

: produced without being planted or without human labor : indigenous

: developing or occurring without apparent external influence, force, cause, or treatment

: not apparently contrived or manipulated : natural

spontaneously adverb

spontaneousness noun

Did you know?

When English philosopher Thomas Hobbes penned his 1656 The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, and Chance he included the following: "all voluntary actions … are called also spontaneous, and said to be done by man's own accord." Hobbes was writing in English, but he knew Latin perfectly well too, including the source of spontaneous; the word comes, via Late Latin spontaneus, from the Latin sponte, meaning "of one's free will, voluntarily." In modern use, the word spontaneous is frequently heard in more mundane settings, where it often describes what is done or said without a lot of thought or planning.

Example Sentences

Shane has a lovely habit of paying us spontaneous visits: one time she brought over a jar of a pickle she'd recently put up; another time just a good story or two.

James Oseland, Saveur, December 2006 Cold viruses can damage the olfactory system directly. This loss of smell may last even after the cold is over. Sometimes the sense comes back as suddenly as it disappeared, perhaps because even as adults we generate new olfactory neurons. Spontaneous improvement might be a person's best hope, because there are no real proven treatments for reversing olfactory nerve damage.

Harvard Health Letter, September 2001 Peter Jakobsen of the European Space Agency, which built the Faint Object Camera, drew spontaneous applause at the January meeting when he showed an image of supernova SN1987A from the instrument.

Kristin Leutwyler, Scientific American, March 1994 The comment was completely spontaneous. He's a guy who's spontaneous and fun.

Recent Examples on the Web From the 1960s onward, photos emerged that appear more spontaneous, showing her laughing or interacting with her dogs.

Kelly Crow, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 Despite claims that Trump's call for rally-goers to march to the Capitol was spontaneous, the committee laid out evidence suggesting that may not have been the case.

Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 23 July 2022 The source added that Lopez and Affleck's Las Vegas wedding wasn't actually spontaneous.

Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 21 July 2022 How much planning went into the video, and how much of it was spontaneous?

Liam Hess, Vogue, 15 July 2022 While her speech appeared spontaneous and impassioned, her decision to go blonde may have been a bit more premeditated.

Sam Reed, Glamour, 27 June 2022 Your decision to grab that gum may have been spontaneous, but the plan to entice you in the checkout lane was carefully crafted.

Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 21 May 2022 They are designed to choke any possibility for the kind of spontaneous, ad hoc commercial and community happenings that are the lifeblood of urban existence.

Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 Much of what is on view in the Cooper Hewitt exhibition is about resistance, sometimes spontaneous and often collective, to these dehumanizing forces.

Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2021 See More

单词	spontaneousness
释义	spontaneous adjective spon·ta·ne·ous spän-ˈtā-nē-əs 1 : proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external constraint 2 : arising from a momentary impulse 3 : controlled and directed internally : self-acting spontaneous movement characteristic of living things 4 : produced without being planted or without human labor : indigenous 5 : developing or occurring without apparent external influence, force, cause, or treatment 6 : not apparently contrived or manipulated : natural spontaneously adverb spontaneousness noun Did you know? When English philosopher Thomas Hobbes penned his 1656 The Questions Concerning Liberty, Necessity, and Chance he included the following: "all voluntary actions … are called also spontaneous, and said to be done by man's own accord." Hobbes was writing in English, but he knew Latin perfectly well too, including the source of spontaneous; the word comes, via Late Latin spontaneus, from the Latin sponte, meaning "of one's free will, voluntarily." In modern use, the word spontaneous is frequently heard in more mundane settings, where it often describes what is done or said without a lot of thought or planning. Synonyms automatic instinctive instinctual involuntary knee-jerk mechanic mechanical robotic See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Shane has a lovely habit of paying us spontaneous visits: one time she brought over a jar of a pickle she'd recently put up; another time just a good story or two. James Oseland, Saveur, December 2006 Cold viruses can damage the olfactory system directly. This loss of smell may last even after the cold is over. Sometimes the sense comes back as suddenly as it disappeared, perhaps because even as adults we generate new olfactory neurons. Spontaneous improvement might be a person's best hope, because there are no real proven treatments for reversing olfactory nerve damage. Harvard Health Letter, September 2001 Peter Jakobsen of the European Space Agency, which built the Faint Object Camera, drew spontaneous applause at the January meeting when he showed an image of supernova SN1987A from the instrument. Kristin Leutwyler, Scientific American, March 1994 The comment was completely spontaneous. He's a guy who's spontaneous and fun. Recent Examples on the Web From the 1960s onward, photos emerged that appear more spontaneous, showing her laughing or interacting with her dogs. Kelly Crow, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 Despite claims that Trump's call for rally-goers to march to the Capitol was spontaneous, the committee laid out evidence suggesting that may not have been the case. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 23 July 2022 The source added that Lopez and Affleck's Las Vegas wedding wasn't actually spontaneous. Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 21 July 2022 How much planning went into the video, and how much of it was spontaneous? Liam Hess, Vogue, 15 July 2022 While her speech appeared spontaneous and impassioned, her decision to go blonde may have been a bit more premeditated. Sam Reed, Glamour, 27 June 2022 Your decision to grab that gum may have been spontaneous, but the plan to entice you in the checkout lane was carefully crafted. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 21 May 2022 They are designed to choke any possibility for the kind of spontaneous, ad hoc commercial and community happenings that are the lifeblood of urban existence. Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 Much of what is on view in the Cooper Hewitt exhibition is about resistance, sometimes spontaneous and often collective, to these dehumanizing forces. Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Late Latin spontaneus, from Latin sponte of one's free will, voluntarily First Known Use 1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing spontaneous spontaneous combustion spontaneous generation spontaneous recovery spontaneous combustion spontaneous generation spontaneous recovery Kids Definition spontaneous adjective spon·ta·ne·ous spän-ˈtā-nē-əs 1 : done, said, or produced freely and naturally spontaneous laughter 2 : acting or taking place without outside force or cause a spontaneous fire Medical Definition spontaneous adjective spon·ta·ne·ous spän-ˈtā-nē-əs 1 : proceeding from natural feeling or native tendency without external constraint 2 : developing without apparent external influence, force, cause, or treatment a spontaneous nosebleed spontaneousness noun as in abandon carefree freedom from constraint her friends loved her for her natural spontaneousness Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance abandon naturalness spontaneity abandonment enthusiasm zeal unrestraint lightheartedness unconstraint warmth spirit ease uninhibitedness exuberance impulsiveness fervor impulsivity carelessness recklessness zealousness insouciance casualness offhandedness heedlessness wildness zealotry indiscretion excessiveness thoughtlessness ardor permissiveness licentiousness incontinence free hand excess indulgence intemperance unself-consciousness wantonness carte blanche immoderacy blank check Antonyms & Near Antonyms restraint constraint reticence uneasiness suppression inhibition embarrassment repression discreetness reserve carefulness discretion self-consciousness discipline heedfulness willpower self-restraint self-discipline self-command self-control self-mastery self-denial See More
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spontaneous

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing spontaneous

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

noun