volition
noun
Did you know?
When you do something of your own volition, you do it voluntarily, which makes sense—both volition and voluntary ultimately come from the Latin velle, meaning “to wish” or “to will.” English speakers borrowed volition from French in the 17th century, using it at first to mean “an act of choosing,” a meaning Herman Melville employed in Moby-Dick (1851): “Almost simultaneously, with a mighty volition of ungraduated, instantaneous swiftness, the White Whale darted through the weltering sea.” By then, however, the word had also developed an additional meaning, “the power to choose,” which is now more common.
Examples of volition in a Sentence
C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
That’s not to suggest that some of the departures weren’t surprising: The eight-season veteran Heidi Gardner may or may not be leaving of her own volition.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
For one thing, Hind finds that Numan is gone in the morning, having returned to the city of his own volition.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
Whether in London, Paris or New York, at Conde Nast, and more specifically at the Vogue editions, the top editors don’t usually leave their coveted posts of their own volition.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for volition
Cite this Entry
“Volition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volition. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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