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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 optional
Technically speaking, having grandchildren was optional, but the age requirement was strictly non-negotiable.
—
Ryan Lenora Brown, NPR, 14 June 2026
Progressive values cannot become optional when the stakes get higher.
—Julie Won, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Columbia is the only Ivy League holdout for test-optional undergraduate admissions.
—Dr. Marlena Corcoran, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Many home warranty providers offer plans that include central air conditioning systems as part of their standard coverage or as an optional add-on.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optional
Ryan Lenora Brown, NPR, 14 June 2026
Progressive values cannot become optional when the stakes get higher.
—Julie Won, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Columbia is the only Ivy League holdout for test-optional undergraduate admissions.
—Dr. Marlena Corcoran, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Many home warranty providers offer plans that include central air conditioning systems as part of their standard coverage or as an optional add-on.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for optional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optional
Adjective
-
The order directed federal agencies to bolster the government’s cyber defenses and to design a mechanism for the government to gain early access to the most powerful AI models from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI on a voluntary basis.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
-
Crucially, this is a mandatory licensing action, not the voluntary testing framework the administration rolled out earlier this month.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
This year, a Homeland Security shutdown created hours-long security lines; an elective war with Iran spiked the cost of fuel and ticket prices.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
-
With elective classes came the need to establish criteria for an educational degree that could include multiple different subjects.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Though that's about $900 million more than what lawmakers initially approved for fiscal year 2026, discretionary spending will be largely flat year-over-year after lawmakers approved supplemental spending for the current year.—
Ben Szalinski,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Other grants are discretionary, meaning agencies review applications and decide which ones to fund.—
Mirae Kim,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Optional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optional. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
