spontaneous
Done suddenly without planning it first.
spontaneous in a sentence
- In a spontaneous burst of joy, the whole class started clapping.
- Our trip to the seaside was completely spontaneous; Mum simply packed the car and off we went.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to spontaneous?
- Aprepared
- Bplanned
- Cexpected
- Dsudden
Show the answer
D: sudden. The other three mean the opposite of spontaneous.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to spontaneous?
- Aimpulsive
- Bsudden
- Cunrehearsed
- Dplanned
Show the answer
D: planned. The other three mean nearly the same as spontaneous.
Words that mean something similar
sudden, impulsive, unrehearsed
Words that mean the opposite
planned, prepared, expected
More words about behaviour & manners
- squander: To waste money or time in a careless way.
- submissive: Always willing to obey others without arguing.
- submit: To give in to someone, or to hand in work for someone to judge.
- subterfuge: A trick used to hide what you are really doing, or to get your own way.
- succumb: To give in to something you have been fighting against.
- swagger: To walk in a proud, show-off way; or that proud way of walking.
- tactful: Careful not to upset people with what you say or do.
- tamper: To touch or change something you should not, often causing damage.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test