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
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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 voluntary recall, initiated by Agri-Mark Inc, Cabot Creamery's parent company, affects the brand's 8-ounce Extra Creamy Premium Sea Salted Butter and was distributed in seven states.
—
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
In the letter, DeJoy told lawmakers that the agency plans to cut 10,000 employees through voluntary early retirement efforts.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Then Nick’s wife, Rose, shows up to close: Everyone oohs and aahs over her pregnant belly, and suddenly Canada is open to voluntary repatriation as long as the United Nations monitors.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Apr. 2025
Moving on from failure But not all departures are voluntary.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for voluntary
Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
In the letter, DeJoy told lawmakers that the agency plans to cut 10,000 employees through voluntary early retirement efforts.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Then Nick’s wife, Rose, shows up to close: Everyone oohs and aahs over her pregnant belly, and suddenly Canada is open to voluntary repatriation as long as the United Nations monitors.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 8 Apr. 2025
Moving on from failure But not all departures are voluntary.
—Ernestine Siu, CNBC, 7 Apr. 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
-
More than 30 optional accessories are available for all models, including extra batteries, a rear cargo basket and a trailer hitch, and a travel bag.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The experiment failed, largely because paying into the fund was optional, and employers dropped out, often to undercut their competitors.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Most of them went by quickly enough to evade conscious perception, but the overall effect was unsettling.—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
But the players around him will need to be conscious defensively to get the most out of him.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The question is whether Colossal’s leaders and supporters are willing to pivot from a project that grabs news headlines to ones that would likely make positive differences.—
Nitin Sekar,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2025
-
There’s not one person in that locker room who’s not willing to sacrifice for somebody else.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Many people have perceived his walking off set and the Instagram story as a deliberate snub.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Be deliberate about your communications with the federal agency and offer any questions and rebuttals in writing.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For now, the most exclusive address in American diplomacy stands empty, its intended resident sidelined by the tough math of congressional politics.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
-
An average dE of below 2 indicates color accurate enough that a casual observer may be unable to distinguish any variation between the color on screen and the intended (source) color.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The key just lies in understanding proportions, mixing textures, and adding the right accessories to take a look from casual to more intentional.—
Ruhama Wolle,
Glamour,
3 Apr. 2025
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Closing that gap across hierarchy and geography requires intentional and consistent communication from the CEO.—
Elizabeth Baskin,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The entire texture of that life, its willed imposture.—
Joyce Carol Oates,
The New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Even more than his strong, octave-surfing Ontario accent, his willed congeniality—a mix of natural reserve and a morbid aversion to pretense—spoke to something in my bones.—
Michelle Orange,
Harper's Magazine,
14 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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