volunteer

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noun vol·un·teer \ ˌvä-lən-ˈtir \

Definition of volunteer

1 :a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: such as

a :one who enters into military service voluntarily

b (1) :one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest

(2) :one who receives a conveyance or transfer of property without giving valuable consideration

2 :a volunteer plant

3 capitalized

[Volunteers of America]

:a member of a quasi-military religious and philanthropic organization founded in 1896 by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

See volunteer defined for kids

Examples of volunteer in a Sentence

Volunteers are needed to help with the bake sale.
The school was built by volunteers.

Recent Examples of volunteer from the Web

Stowe, a largely volunteer squad, is adding a unit to a second ambulance this fall at a cost of about $3,800, plus costs for disposable supplies and some cleaning agents, as well as the nitrous cylinders, which cost about $14 to refill.

— Washington Post, "Laughing gas makes a comeback as painkiller in ambulances," 31 Aug. 2017
There was a medical area with volunteer nurses and doctors ready to help with everything from small cuts to insulin needs.

— stephanie kuzydym, chicagotribune.com, "Joel Osteen pushes back against accusations he closed his megachurch to Harvey victims," 30 Aug. 2017
Volunteers working on the Open House event committee include Mike Cinatl, Angie Summers, Loesje Blumberg, Amy DiStefano, Laura DiStefano and Joe Bruner.

— faye reeder, star-telegram, "Open house will show how Arlington Charities fights hunger, poverty," 30 Aug. 2017
Volunteers packaged 6,821 pounds of food, which was distributed to 218 families in the Royal City area.

— cheryl schweizer, The Seattle Times, "Helping hands: Volunteers needed for Quincy food distribution," 29 Aug. 2017
American Red Cross volunteers will take donations by phone.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "WESH, American Red Cross hold Wednesday telethon," 29 Aug. 2017
Volunteer tutors are needed in the district’s six elementary schools.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "OASIS tutors can ‘change a life’," 28 Aug. 2017
One test of undergrad volunteers tried short sessions of focusing or breath-counting.

— connie ogle, miamiherald, "Meditation expert tells us what the science really says — and why multitasking is a ‘myth’," 28 Aug. 2017
The 15-mile bike ride allows participants to ride around the city at their own pace with volunteer and police support along the course.

— Post-Tribune, "Community news," 23 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'volunteer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of volunteer

obsolete French voluntaire (now volontaire), from voluntaire, adjective, voluntary, from Old French, from Latin voluntarius

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1600

See Words from the same year

volunteer

verb

Definition of volunteer

intransitive verb

:to offer oneself as a volunteer

volunteered to host the meeting

transitive verb

:to offer or bestow voluntarily

volunteer one's services

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

Examples of volunteer in a Sentence

volunteer work at the hospital

Recent Examples of volunteer from the Web

The brothers were killed while volunteering at the West Huntsville United Methodist Church food pantry May 21, 2013.

— ashley remkus, AL.com, "No death penalty for Huntsville church food pantry killer who stabbed elderly brothers to death," 22 Aug. 2017
Inspired by the organization’s mission, Blodgett volunteered to teach dance at North County school districts.

— marcia manna, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego Dance Theater appoints new executive director," 7 Aug. 2017
In 2011, Naomi began volunteering with several traveling disaster animal response teams, which staffed emergency animal shelters during natural disasters in Mississippi, Missouri, New York and New Jersey.

— tamekia reece, Woman's Day, "What Happens to Pets When Natural Disaster Strikes," 1 Aug. 2017
To find out if an event is already planned, or to volunteer as a host, email rbnhworg@gmail.com or call 858-538-8148.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "National Night Out events planned for Tuesday," 27 July 2017
Ten people with Battelle — eight employees and two of their spouses — volunteered Sunday.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "'Crazies' come out for Habitat for Humanity build in Havre de Grace," 10 July 2017
People can also volunteer or even take a trip like Aduba’s.

— maureen lee lenker, EW.com, "Uzo Aduba on giving people 'a hand up,' not just 'a handout'," 29 June 2017
Fire Chief Patrick J. Kenny said Jacobson, who also trained as a mechanical engineer and worked as a project manager, volunteered for the department after receiving a letter appealing for community members to join the force.

— annemarie mannion, chicagotribune.com, "Western Springs resident remembered for positive energy on job as a firefighter," 26 June 2017
Germany's top car manufacturers volunteered a recall of 630,000 cars in April 2016 to fix diesel emissions management software but that failed to reassure regulators and policymakers that pollution levels are under control.

— reuters, Fortune, "German Car Makers Pressured to Reduce Emissions as Election Approaches," 26 June 2017

First Known Use of volunteer

1709

volunteer Synonyms

Synonyms

bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, give

Related Words

chip in, kick in, pitch in, throw in; award, confer, endow, endue (or indue), render; afford, comp, furnish, provide; lavish, regale; aid, assist, benefit, help; administer, dish out, dispense, dole out, hand out, impart, issue, mete (out); extend, fork (over, out, or up), offer, pay, proffer, pungle (up), put up, tender; sacrifice

Near Antonyms

hold, keep, pocket, retain, withhold; preserve, save; advance, lend, loan; sell

volunteer

adjective

Definition of volunteer

1 :being, consisting of, or engaged in by volunteers

a volunteer army

busy with volunteer activities

2 :growing spontaneously without direct human control or supervision especially from seeds lost from a previous crop

volunteer corn plants

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

Examples of volunteer in a Sentence

Our son volunteered for military service.
He would not volunteer any information about her whereabouts.

Recent Examples of volunteer from the Web

Volunteer firefighters and EMTs took Marvin to a rendezvous point with the air ambulance.

— katy moeller, idahostatesman, "The strange day a longtime Idaho bear hunter became the prey," 14 June 2017
Volunteer jobs range from helping out in the gift shop and art gallery to giving tours and running special events or keeping an inventory of historical items that are donated.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Ice cream social planned at old adobe," 31 May 2017
Volunteer background can include: attorneys, law students, and paralegals.

— nathan paige, cleveland.com, "BVU: Change the World Day volunteer opportunities, and more," 15 May 2017

First Known Use of volunteer

1649

volunteer Synonyms

Synonyms

freewill, self-imposed, uncoerced, unforced, volitional, voluntary, willing

Antonyms

coerced, compelled, forced, involuntary, nonvoluntary, unwilled, will-less

Related Words

discretionary, elective, optional; impulsive, instinctive, spontaneous, unpremeditated; conscious, deliberate, intentional, knowing, willful (or wilful)

Near Antonyms

compulsory, enforced, mandatory, necessary, nonelective, obligatory, ordered, required

VOLUNTEER Defined for English Language Learners

volunteer

play

noun

Definition of volunteer for English Language Learners

: a person who chooses to join the military
: a person who does work without getting paid to do it

volunteer

adjective

Definition of volunteer for English Language Learners

: of, relating to, or done by volunteers

volunteer

verb

Definition of volunteer for English Language Learners

: to offer to do something without being forced to or without getting paid to do it
: to choose to join the military
: to give (something) without being forced to or without getting paid for it

VOLUNTEER Defined for Kids

volunteer

play

noun vol·un·teer \ ˌvä-lən-ˈtir \

Definition of volunteer for Students

:a person who does something by free choice usually with no payment expected or given

Volunteers painted the town hall.

volunteer

adjective

Definition of volunteer for Students

:relating to or done by volunteers

a volunteer fire department

volunteer

verb

Definition of volunteer for Students

volunteered; volunteering

:to offer or give without being asked or forced and usually with no expectation of payment

I volunteered my services.

Tucker Mouse had volunteered to let them use the drain pipe …
—George Selden, The Cricket in Times Square

Law Dictionary

volunteer

play

noun vol·un·teer \ ˌvä-lən-ˈtir \

legal Definition of volunteer

1 :one that voluntarily undertakes something; especially :one who without request, obligation, or an interest pays the debt of another and is denied reimbursement from subrogation

2 :one who receives property without giving valuable consideration

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volunteer

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volunteer

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VOLUNTEER Defined for English Language Learners

volunteer

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volunteer

Definition of volunteer for English Language Learners

volunteer

Definition of volunteer for English Language Learners

VOLUNTEER Defined for Kids

volunteer

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volunteer

Definition of volunteer for Students

volunteer

Definition of volunteer for Students

Law Dictionary

volunteer

legal Definition of volunteer

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