as in voluntary
subject to one's freedom of choice
at the resort all recreational activities are optional, and you may choose to participate in none of them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of optional
This is just to give a little life to the palate, and is honestly optional.
—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
27 June 2026
Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball are blaming the Giants for not properly communicating to the team that the Pride hats were optional.
—
Zach Dean Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2026
Snacks or wine are optional, but the night should still feel enjoyable, not just productive.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Finding a disliked celebrity with the offending crossed legs is optional.
—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optional
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
27 June 2026
Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball are blaming the Giants for not properly communicating to the team that the Pride hats were optional.
—
Zach Dean Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2026
Snacks or wine are optional, but the night should still feel enjoyable, not just productive.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
26 June 2026
Finding a disliked celebrity with the offending crossed legs is optional.
—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optional
Adjective
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The reason is that the administration has shrunk the requirements for reports of immunization from states, changing the reports from mandated to voluntary.
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Without control of committee gavels — and the subpoena power that comes with them — legislative inquiries from the Hill minority generally rely on the voluntary compliance from their targets to produce documents or testimony.
Adjective
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My personal opinion is that any elective operation done on a child requires absolute care, multidisciplinary collaboration, and honest conversations with families.
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Heaton experienced this firsthand following her elective double mastectomy.
Adjective
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And The 60-Day Grace Period When an H-1B or other visa holder loses their job, a discretionary 60-day grace period starts.
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Bass recently announced an initiative to repair and replace 60,000 streetlights over the next two years, and several council members have turned to their district’s discretionary funding to fix broken streetlights in their districts.
Cite this Entry
“Optional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optional. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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