1
as in volunteer
done, made, or given with one's own free will
a voluntary contribution to the school's fund-raising drive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in optional
subject to one's freedom of choice
participation in the resort's recreational activities is strictly voluntary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in conscious
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
the legal distinctions between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of voluntary
Lamb didn’t get his deal until a little over two weeks before the season began, leading to his holdout lasting throughout voluntary workouts, OTAs, mandatory minicamp and training camp.
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
That update is expected to include the State Department’s latest estimates of voluntary retirements and separations and how those will affect potential future layoffs to meet benchmarks from Musk’s group and the government’s human resources agency, according to officials familiar with the process.
—Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Kenneth Chaney, 23, pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semi-automatic firearm for the May 23, 2023, death of 20-year-old Trey Walker, who was shot in the neck in the courtyard outside the library.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
The firing squad team − three voluntary corrections staff − stood behind a wall with loaded rifles 15 feet from Mahdi.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for voluntary
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025
That update is expected to include the State Department’s latest estimates of voluntary retirements and separations and how those will affect potential future layoffs to meet benchmarks from Musk’s group and the government’s human resources agency, according to officials familiar with the process.
—Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Kenneth Chaney, 23, pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semi-automatic firearm for the May 23, 2023, death of 20-year-old Trey Walker, who was shot in the neck in the courtyard outside the library.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
The firing squad team − three voluntary corrections staff − stood behind a wall with loaded rifles 15 feet from Mahdi.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for voluntary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for voluntary
Adjective
-
Within the past couple of years, the group has become a part of Arrowhead Kingdom, an all-volunteer national network of Chiefs fan groups.—
Hannah Kirby,
Journal Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2023
-
That’s noteworthy for a show based at a high-school auditorium in Litchfield and run by a staff that is almost entirely volunteer, including the show’s star and its producer.—
Susan Dunne,
Hartford Courant,
18 Aug. 2022
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, WhatsApp assured users via BBC News that its suddenly ever-present blue circle is optional, despite being unremovable.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
While some players believe that overworlds are tedious and archaic game designs that only add unnecessary filler in between traveling to different destinations, Expedition 33 avoids this problem by placing optional dungeons on the overworld.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The victim, a man in his 20s, was alert and conscious and was transported to an area hospital for treatment, Boisvert said.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2025
-
First responders arrived at the scene around 10:03 a.m. to find Joseph conscious and alert, the sheriff's office said.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Supreme Court sounded willing to allow an Atlanta family to sue the FBI for compensation over the mistaken search of their home, but reluctant to define how much protection law enforcement officers deserve in carrying out their jobs.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Masha is willing to try anything in the interest of healing everyone involved, including herself.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The deliberate elimination of gender-affirming care in many states is a serious human rights violation.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
As the recovery needle for Chinook moves in the wrong direction, Katz said deliberate action is urgent.—
Alastair Bland | CalMatters,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For now, the most exclusive address in American diplomacy stands empty, its intended resident sidelined by the tough math of congressional politics.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
-
An average dE of below 2 indicates color accurate enough that a casual observer may be unable to distinguish any variation between the color on screen and the intended (source) color.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This discipline of separating fact from opinion is needed to turn reactive patterns into intentional awareness.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Small, intentional steps can lead to long-term stability.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Carnegie is convinced that sincerity is as easily willed as a ready smile and a memory for names.—
Ann Hulbert,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The entire texture of that life, its willed imposture.—
Joyce Carol Oates,
The New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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