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Formation: V-ない form + ではいられない; V-ない stem + ずにはいられない (飲まない → 飲まずに); する → せずにはいられない

This pattern says a strong feeling or urge makes someone do something they cannot hold back, such as crying, laughing, speaking up or acting. It normally describes the speaker's own impulse. For a third person, add ようだ, らしい or のだ. The ずに form is a little more written, and ないで is more common in speech. Compare 〜ざるを得ない: there, outside circumstances or logic force the action, not an inner urge. Also compare 〜てならない and 〜てたまらない, which describe an intense feeling itself rather than an action you can't stop, and the N1 pattern 〜ずにはおかない, which means something will inevitably cause an effect.

Variants: 〜ずにはいられない、〜せずにはいられない、〜ないではいられません

Examples

• あの映画のラストシーンでは、泣かずにはいられなかった。
  I couldn't help crying at the last scene of that film.
• 彼の無責任な発言には、一言言わないではいられない。
  I can't let his irresponsible remarks pass without saying something.
• 被災地の映像を見ると、何かせずにはいられない。
  When I see footage of the disaster zone, I feel I have to do something.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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