VOLUNTARY Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'voluntary' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of voluntary are deliberate , intentional , and willing . While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion. // a voluntary confession

Q: Where would 'deliberate' be a reasonable alternative to 'voluntary'?

While the synonyms deliberate and voluntary are close in meaning, deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences. // deliberate acts of sabotage

Q: When is it sensible to use 'intentional' instead of 'voluntary'?

Although the words intentional and voluntary have much in common, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved. // the intentional concealment of vital information

Q: When could 'willing' be used to replace 'voluntary'?

The synonyms willing and voluntary are sometimes interchangeable, but willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another. // willing obedience

voluntary

adjective

ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē

Definition of voluntary

as in volunteer

done, made, or given with one's own free will a voluntary contribution to the school's fund-raising drive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in optional

subject to one's freedom of choice participation in the resort's recreational activities is strictly voluntary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in conscious

made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing the legal distinctions between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word voluntary different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of voluntary are deliberate, intentional, and willing. While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

Where would deliberate be a reasonable alternative to voluntary?

While the synonyms deliberate and voluntary are close in meaning, deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

When is it sensible to use intentional instead of voluntary?

Although the words intentional and voluntary have much in common, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

When could willing be used to replace voluntary?

The synonyms willing and voluntary are sometimes interchangeable, but willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

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 voluntary In Gulf Shores, an Alabama community encouraging voluntary evacuations, resident Maranie Adams gathered water and other supplies as her family moved belongings, including a hot tub motor, to higher ground. — R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Last week, Huang and Musk were among the tech leaders at the White House to sign a voluntary agreement on developing AI after recent models raised national security and safety concerns. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 On Dauphin Island, a 15-mile barrier island off the Alabama coast, officials encouraged voluntary evacuations, particularly on its popular western section, which is vulnerable to storm surge. — R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Walton County has issued a voluntary evacuation notice for low-lying areas. — Kate S. Petersen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for voluntary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for voluntary

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

Definition of volunteer

Adjective

Amenities and experiences The Tasting Room at Seminary Hill offers a tour of their orchards and cidery operation with an optional cider tasting.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
An optional slim keyboard drawer adds functionality without disrupting the minimalist look.

— Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of optional

Adjective

But today’s trend-conscious younger Americans are thinking beyond looks.

— Steven John, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
These primitive instincts are highly attuned to potential danger and are often triggered before our conscious mind registers that something isn’t right.

— Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of conscious

Adjective

Bubbles pop when liquidity tightens, meaning higher rates or stiffer regulation make money harder to borrow, and private creditors grow less willing to lend at any rate.

— RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Those conducting the online scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals -- many Chinese -- tricked themselves into work and held in prison-like compounds.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of willing

Adjective

The director’s deliberate obfuscation of Soulan’s immediate intentions — beyond his desire to keep the school open — make for a fascinating character study.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Cheval Blanc Courchevel made a more deliberate bid in 2006, when LVMH launched the first project in its hospitality collection.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of deliberate

Adjective

Standout pieces like the MTM Loafer and the Mary Jean are effortless ways to dress up a daily look, effortlessly blending comfort and intentional style with timeless appeal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Last November, on twenty-two acres of traditional tribal territory, the Fond du Lac Band Fire Program led the first intentional burn in generations.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of intentional

Adjective

Originally unveiled at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show and put into production in 2005, the Bugatti Veyron was a moonshot project essentially willed into existence by Ferdinand Piëch.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
Anyone who has a negative reaction to this is a weak-willed loser who has ZERO idea how bad Texan has become and is more than likely complicit in selling out our state.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of willed

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voluntary

volunteer

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“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of voluntary

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