as in voluntary
done, made, or given with one's own free will
our office staff made a freewill offering for UNESCO
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
all of the workers at the homeless shelter are unpaid and are there of their own free will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of freewill
San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2019
Admission for the event sponsored by the Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library is free; freewill donations will be accepted for musicians.
—Linda McIntosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, 30 Apr. 2018
Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Various characters in my book ponder the role of chance, fate, and free will in their lives.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for freewill
Adjective
The free community event is sponsored by Spiritual Church of Escondido; freewill offering will be accepted.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2019
Admission for the event sponsored by the Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library is free; freewill donations will be accepted for musicians.
—Linda McIntosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, 30 Apr. 2018
Noun
God has given all of us free will and so with that free will comes the ability to make your own decisions and to take the consequences of those decisions.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Various characters in my book ponder the role of chance, fate, and free will in their lives.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for freewill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freewill
Adjective
-
After awarding the voluntary furlough, management will proceed with involuntary furloughs in inverse order of system seniority up to the 1,800 number, in accordance with flight attendant contracts, the union said.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The tips must be voluntary, not mandatory.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The company released a more expensive version of its subscription-fee offering in the EU in 2023, but was slapped with a €200 million ($232 million) fine in April after regulators argued the model still breached the bloc’s digital antitrust rules and didn’t offer users a genuine free choice.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Since then, what counts as a good (virtuous) choice versus a bad (unvirtuous) one has become less and less clearly defined.—
Sophia Rosenfeld
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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
Noun
-
Mia Barnes and Shannon Lamorticelli imposed their will over the final two sets to spearhead the Shamrocks.—
Greg Dudek,
Boston Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Their membership will be subject to the will of the president.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Kirk is being celebrated as a champion of free speech who was willing to debate anyone anywhere and who was killed by someone who could not tolerate his views.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The Gang Suppression Force is supposed to be overseen by a group representing the coalition of the willing, troop contributing countries.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Freewill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freewill. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share