voluntary
Noun pluralvoluntaries
Pluralvoluntaries
- 1Done or given because you choose to, not because you are forced.
Like choosing to help wash the dishes because you want to, not because someone made you.
She made a voluntary donation to the animal shelter.
Joining the after-school club is completely voluntary.
Similaroptional, willing, unforced, discretionary
Oppositecompulsory, mandatory, obligatory, forced
Note
- 2Done on purpose, because someone meant to do it.
Like knocking over a glass on purpose, not by accident.
He broke the window on purpose, so the damage was voluntary.
Her absence was voluntary, planned well in advance.
Similardeliberate, intentional, willful, conscious
Oppositeaccidental, unintentional, inadvertent
Note
- 3Done without being paid, often to help other people.
Like helping a neighbor carry boxes without asking for money.
She does voluntary work at the food bank on weekends.
The river cleanup was voluntary, so no one was paid.
Similarunpaid, charitable
- 4Able to choose and act by using one's own will.
Like a driver who can steer the car wherever they want to go.
Humans are voluntary beings, able to make their own choices.
Only voluntary creatures can be held responsible for what they do.
Similarfree
Note
- 5A short piece of music played on one instrument, often partly made up as you go.
Like a warm-up tune a musician plays alone before the main show.
The organist played a gentle voluntary before the service began.
She composed a short voluntary for the close of the ceremony.
Note
- 6Connected with the idea that groups should rely on free giving and choice, not on force or the state.
The chapel ran on a voluntary system, paid for only by its members.
Their voluntary beliefs rejected any state-funded religion.
Note
- 7A person who chooses to do a job or task without being forced or paid.
Like the person who raises a hand first to help, just because they want to.
Several voluntaries stepped forward to help with the search.
Each voluntary received a badge for their service.
Similarvolunteer
- 8A person who believes things should be done by free choice and giving, not by force.
The voluntaries opposed any state-funded church.
As a committed voluntary, she argued schools should rely on donations.
Less common meaning
- 9By one's own choice and not because of being forced.
Like raising your hand to answer because you want to, not because you have to.
He confessed voluntary, without any threat of punishment.
She came voluntary to surrender her arms.
Note
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin voluntarius, meaning "willing" or "of free will," which came from a word meaning "to will" or "to want."