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
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Recent Examples of optional
If desired, dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone, but this is totally optional.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Flashlights and sleeping bags are optional.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 1 Nov. 2025
The optional ambient lighting and an aromatherapy tray features add to the calming vibe for winding down before bed.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
On Thursday, the Dodgers held an optional team workout at the Rogers Centre, but manager Dave Roberts said every single player was in attendance.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optional
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Flashlights and sleeping bags are optional.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 1 Nov. 2025
The optional ambient lighting and an aromatherapy tray features add to the calming vibe for winding down before bed.
—Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
On Thursday, the Dodgers held an optional team workout at the Rogers Centre, but manager Dave Roberts said every single player was in attendance.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for optional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optional
Adjective
-
The program was also voluntary — if residents saw fit just to throw all their recyclable glass and aluminum and paper into the regular garbage there was nothing stopping them from doing so.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But that doesn’t mean anyone took it easy on Sherrod, who always participated in voluntary class time.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Smith was dead less than two weeks later, one of two other women who died following elective operations Regenass performed from December 2022 to February 2023, court records show.—
Jason Kane,
NBC news,
31 Dec. 2025
-
Other members remain ambitious for elective office and decide to use their position in Congress as a springboard for another position.—
Charlie Hunt,
The Conversation,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Energy was one of the best performing S&P sectors so far in the day, but the financials and consumer discretionary sectors also rallied.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
5 Jan. 2026
-
That accounts for a small fraction of total discretionary government spending.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Optional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optional. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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