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
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
-
Yet even with these far-reaching effects, financial literacy continues to be treated as an optional skill set rather than as a cornerstone of true economic progress.—
Kevin Cohee,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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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.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This look is perfect for landing in a style-conscious city like Paris or Chicago and hitting the ground running without needing a quick change in the airport bathroom.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
-
As Americans grow increasingly more health-conscious, many are looking for substitutes for certain foods and additives that researchers have deemed less-than-stellar for your longterm health.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That's bad news for Arizonans hoping to catch a sight of the spacecraft soaring overheard, but those willing to make a trip to the launch site in the neighboring state will still be treated to an incredible view of the Falcon 9 blasting off from the ground.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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Bantin's post suggests the developer wasn't willing to compromise the port's quality by squeezing that content through the relatively narrow 400 MB/s bus of a physical Switch 2 card.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
-
In the eight- and 16-bit era, the key art used in a game’s pack-in manual was more intended to stir the imagination.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
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Many more were maimed, and almost all the carnage was the direct and intended result of Iran’s nascent Axis.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Falwell sued for invasion of privacy, libel and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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Like most extended car warranty providers, CarShield excludes pre-existing conditions that existed before your warranty took effect, as well as damage resulting from poor maintenance, neglect or intentional abuse.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
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 11 Sep. 2025.
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