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
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Recent Examples of voluntary
Just a few months ahead of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the group of around 40 staffers delivered a petition to leadership asking for voluntary recognition of their decision to be represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9003.
—
Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
The measure called for ending voluntary transfers from the county into federal custody, or notifications of anyone’s release from detention, requiring the federal agency to get a judicial warrant.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
As the industry geared up to gather in Venice, the Senate Committee passed a draft law outlining a voluntary certification system for brands’ pipeline across all tiers of subcontracting, aimed at ensuring legality and traceability throughout, as reported.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
The company issued a voluntary recall in late September.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for voluntary
Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
The measure called for ending voluntary transfers from the county into federal custody, or notifications of anyone’s release from detention, requiring the federal agency to get a judicial warrant.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
As the industry geared up to gather in Venice, the Senate Committee passed a draft law outlining a voluntary certification system for brands’ pipeline across all tiers of subcontracting, aimed at ensuring legality and traceability throughout, as reported.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
The company issued a voluntary recall in late September.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 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
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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
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This next phase of the process is optional, but both Tretyakova and Sokolowski recommend it for maximum odor reduction.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Quince Italian Leather Drawstring Pouch Crossbody The more budget-conscious crossbody has all the hallmarks of a designer bag.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
As a result, several surveys have indicated that this holiday shopping season may be more muted than in 2024, as increasingly budget-conscious customers grapple with rising prices and broader financial challenges.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The houses, often apartments inside the city’s tall residential buildings, strike so much fear among residents that anyone willing to live there can negotiate hefty discounts in one of the world’s most expensive property markets.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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There are real questions about how much more consumers are willing or able to pay.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Adams described the attack as deliberate and that Koehler intended to terrorize the victim.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Their learning is efficient because it’s embodied, adaptive, deliberate, and continuous.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, though, this is exactly the intended consequence.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
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In fact, the core messages can get garbled if the media can’t keep up with the intended meaning.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The intentional walk has outlived its usefulness, as anybody who paid as much as $1,371 face value for a ticket to the three World Series games this week at Dodger Stadium can attest.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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And that was an intentional choice.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Given no choice, María Ángeles acquiesces to her daughter’s wishes and moves into the seniors’ home, where a hilarious exchange with a hairdresser wanting to chop off her long silver tresses typifies her iron-willed refusal to settle in.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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