Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

voluntary

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of voluntary

1 done, made, or given with one's own free will

  • a voluntary contribution to the school's fund-raising drive
Synonyms of voluntary

freewill, self-imposed, uncoerced, unforced, volitional, volunteer, willing
Words Related to voluntary

discretionary, elective, optional

impulsive, instinctive, spontaneous, unpremeditated

conscious, deliberate, intentional, knowing, willful (or wilful)
Near Antonyms of voluntary

compulsory, enforced, mandatory, necessary, nonelective, obligatory, ordered, required
Antonyms of voluntary

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

2 subject to one's freedom of choice

  • participation in the resortʼs recreational activities is strictly voluntary
Synonyms of voluntary

discretionary, elective, optional
Words Related to voluntary

alternate, alternative, chosen

dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted
Near Antonyms of voluntary

essential, indispensable, necessary, requisite
Antonyms of voluntary

compulsory, mandatory, nonelective, nonvoluntary, obligatory, required

3 made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing

  • the legal distinctions between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter
Synonyms of voluntary

conscious, deliberate, intended, intentional, knowing, purposeful, purposive, set, willed, willful (or wilful), witting
Words Related to voluntary

designed, planned

conscious

advised, calculated, considered, measured, reasoned, studied, thoughtful, weighed

premeditated, premeditative, prepense

discretionary, elective, optional, volunteer
Near Antonyms of voluntary

inadvertent, unwitting

accidental, chance, haphazard, hit-or-miss, incidental, random

aimless, desultory, purposeless

abrupt, impetuous, sudden

coerced, forced, involuntary

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

casual

extemporaneous, impromptu, impulsive, instinctive, spontaneous, unforced, unpremeditated
Antonyms of voluntary

nondeliberate, nonpurposive, unintentional

Synonym Discussion of voluntary

voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing 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
intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.
    • the intentional concealment of vital information
deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.
    • deliberate acts of sabotage
willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.
    • willing obedience

Learn More about voluntary

  1. Dictionary: Definition of voluntary Medical Dictionary: Definition of voluntary Spanish Central: Translation of voluntary Nglish: Translation of voluntary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of voluntary for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up voluntary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games