voluntary

1 of 2

adjective

vol·​un·​tary ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce voluntary (audio)
1
: proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent
a voluntary action
voluntary cooperation
2
: unconstrained by interference : self-determining
a voluntary participant
3
law
a
: done by design or intention : intentional
was convicted of voluntary manslaughter
b
: acting or done of one's own free will without valuable consideration or legal obligation
a voluntary conveyance
4
: of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will
voluntary muscle movements
voluntary behavior
5
: having power of free choice
a voluntary agent
6
: provided or supported by voluntary action
a voluntary institution/organization
voluntarily adverb
voluntariness noun

voluntary

2 of 2

noun

plural voluntaries
1
a
: a prefatory often extemporized musical piece
b
: an improvisatory organ piece played before, during, or after a religious service
2
: one who participates voluntarily
Choose the Right Synonym for voluntary

voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one's own will.

voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Examples of voluntary in a Sentence

Adjective Participation in the program is completely voluntary. He was charged with voluntary manslaughter. the voluntary muscles that control urination
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Russian officials insist that it isn’t intended to replace the Olympics, but rather that Russian, Belarusian, and other voluntary international participants will compete in many Olympic categories for large cash prizes and other honors. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Mar. 2024 Then, days later, the company announced a voluntary recall of its software for an incident involving a pickup truck in Phoenix. Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 Since the voluntary shutdown, he’s received a flood of calls and emails from people reminiscing about their memories of the chapel and concerned for its survival. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 It's hoped the choice options encourage voluntary student transfers from McNair to Colbert or Holt. Al Gaspeny, arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2024 This diverse group generously offers their time and expertise on a voluntary or occasional basis, significantly enriching the PhotoVogue community. Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Feb. 2024 Kirk, her boss at the time, made her departure sound less voluntary. Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024 While Monday has been given off to everyone except those that are injured and are following a specific recovery plan, Tuesday has only a voluntary training session. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Some states have created model, often voluntary, siting rules for wind and solar plants that establish reasonable setback distances as 1.1 or 1.5 times turbine height – that would be roughly 600 to 900 feet for a modern turbine. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
Others made the shift into self-employment voluntary after taking the time to evaluate their professional standing. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 12 July 2022 In Libya, Muammar Gaddafi voluntary gave up his nuclear program, but that didn’t stop the United States from actively supporting rebels who toppled his regime and savagely killed him. Michael A. Cohen, The New Republic, 25 Jan. 2022 Virginia enacted legislation in 2021 to establish an auto-IRA savings program and the New York state legislature has passed legislation that would amend their law to switch from a voluntary to a mandatory auto-IRA program statewide. Dan Doonan, Forbes, 1 Sep. 2021 Danario Green was optimistic about returning to work as a JetBlue flight attendant after taking a five-month voluntary leave earlier in the pandemic. Natalie B. Compton, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Nov. 2020 The actual number of layoffs and furloughs may decrease for both American and United before Oct. 1 because of union agreements and other voluntary buyout negotiations, according to company memos. Anna Kramer, SFChronicle.com, 4 Aug. 2020 For players, that means a certain level of accomplishment or desire for a new contract can be reason to skip the voluntaries. Sam Mellinger, kansascity.com, 20 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'voluntary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French voluntarie, from Latin voluntarius, from voluntas will, from velle to will, wish — more at will

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of voluntary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near voluntary

Cite this Entry

“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voluntary. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

voluntary

1 of 2 adjective
vol·​un·​tary ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce voluntary (audio)
1
: done, given, or made with one's own free will
voluntary assistance
2
: not accidental : intentional
voluntary manslaughter
3
: of, relating to, or controlled by the will
voluntary behavior

voluntary

2 of 2 noun
plural voluntaries
: a musical piece played usually on the organ at a religious service

Medical Definition

voluntary

adjective
vol·​un·​tary ˈväl-ən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce voluntary (audio)
1
: proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent
2
: of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will
voluntary behavior
voluntarily adverb

Legal Definition

voluntary

adjective
vol·​un·​tary ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce voluntary (audio)
1
a
: proceeding from one's own free choice or consent rather than as the result of duress, coercion, or deception
a voluntary statement
b
: not compelled by law : done as a matter of choice or agreement
voluntary arbitration
c
: made freely and with an understanding of the consequences
a voluntary plea of guilty
2
: done by design or intention
3
: made without valuable consideration or for nominal consideration
a voluntary conveyance
voluntarily
ˌvä-lən-ˈter-ə-lē
adverb
voluntariness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on voluntary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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