1
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
2
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
3
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of voluntary
The film is set in a dystopian America where the totalitarian government has banned various things like certain books, films and music, and created an annual contest called The Long Walk where one young man from every state is chosen via a voluntary lottery system to participate.
—
Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Red Lobster filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy that May.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to implementing many voluntary changes, and even after a valiant legal fight and court victory, Harvard may still make a deal to get Trump off its back.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Dash filed his voluntary petition Thursday and posted about it Friday on Instagram.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for voluntary
Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Red Lobster filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy that May.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to implementing many voluntary changes, and even after a valiant legal fight and court victory, Harvard may still make a deal to get Trump off its back.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Dash filed his voluntary petition Thursday and posted about it Friday on Instagram.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
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
Adjective
-
The previously optional 5,000-pound towing package is standard now.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The orchestration layer must detect failure patterns and adapt—whether by retrying, skipping optional steps or escalating the task to a human reviewer.—
Gopikrishnan Anilkumar,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That means staying alert to how AI systems influence our thinking and making conscious choices about when and how to engage with them.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Sullivan believes Fruitist’s market opportunity is strong as consumers become more conscious about health and are willing to pay for premium products.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That coverage was at odds with fostering civil dialogue and being willing to listen to the points of view of those who have differing opinions.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Instead of donating the items to thrift stores, consider checking with local parenting groups or shelters to find a family willing to accept more recent models that haven’t been recalled.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Understand who holds the greatest influence over promotion decisions in your organization and make a deliberate effort to be visible to them.—
Roberta Matuson,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Acutis' canonization marks a deliberate Vatican effort to present contemporary, relatable holy figures who can speak to younger generations about faith lived in the digital age.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Beck took ownership of his two interceptions — one that came late in the first half with Miami trying to pad its lead before the break, the second which was tipped by Malachi Toney on its way to its intended target in Tony Johnson.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
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To successfully operationalize GenAI, businesses must double down on focus—first, with FLMs and their domain-specific data training, and second, with focused domain usage, by defining knowledge anchors for intended use.—
Scott Zoldi,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As Platt reminds us, moving toward a healthier relationship with ownership means reclaiming our power by being intentional.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
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The researchers couldn’t fully separate the effects of intentional versus unintentional weight loss.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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Claiborne said the property was eventually willed to Vanderbilt University, which in turn sold it to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in 1968.—
Austin Hornbostel,
The Tennessean,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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