VOLUNTARY Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'voluntary' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of voluntary are deliberate , intentional , and willing . While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion. // a voluntary confession

Q: Where would 'deliberate' be a reasonable alternative to 'voluntary'?

While the synonyms deliberate and voluntary are close in meaning, deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences. // deliberate acts of sabotage

Q: When is it sensible to use 'intentional' instead of 'voluntary'?

Although the words intentional and voluntary have much in common, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved. // the intentional concealment of vital information

Q: When could 'willing' be used to replace 'voluntary'?

The synonyms willing and voluntary are sometimes interchangeable, but willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another. // willing obedience

voluntary

adjective

ˈvä-lən-ˌter-ē

Definition of voluntary

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

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

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word voluntary different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of voluntary are deliberate, intentional, and willing. While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

Where would deliberate be a reasonable alternative to voluntary?

While the synonyms deliberate and voluntary are close in meaning, deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

When is it sensible to use intentional instead of voluntary?

Although the words intentional and voluntary have much in common, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

When could willing be used to replace voluntary?

The synonyms willing and voluntary are sometimes interchangeable, but willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of voluntary The three nay House votes were from progressives who felt the bill, which would establish a voluntary structure, didn’t go far enough to protect consumers. — Barbara A. Trish, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026 New research from New York Life Group Benefit Solutions found that 71% of employees closely evaluate whether voluntary benefits provide good value for their money, rising to 83% among Gen Z workers. — Orla Nixon, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026 The voluntary exit offers come just months after Microsoft laid off 4,800 employees, a move that primarily impacted its Xbox and commercial sales teams. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026 The effort is the second time Microsoft has run a voluntary workforce reduction in 2026. — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026 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

Definition of volunteer

Adjective

His father, Scott, was a marketing research professor at the school and home football Saturdays in Provo weren’t optional.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
But multiple tripod mounts facilitate the use of optional accessories, like an extended grip and the aforementioned viewfinder.

— Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of optional

Adjective

Now, Tan-Gillespie is tasked with getting KFC’s American business back on track as the brand faces growing competition paired with more health-conscious and cash-strapped consumers.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
And while Kim tends to gravitate toward body-conscious silhouettes and plenty of skin, Kris has made a signature of sharp tailoring, statement accessories, and an unapologetic dose of flash.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of conscious

Adjective

New consumer research suggests the shift is more deliberate, and more compatible with luxury growth, than early coverage implied.

— Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Stop motion is such a deliberate practice, where every wrinkle is quite literally sculpted.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of deliberate

Adjective

Meanwhile, al-Ali held several meetings with Saudi officers at the Defense Ministry in Riyadh to discuss the costs of transferring around 10,000 fighters, financial arrangements, additional benefits and their intended military tasks.

— Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Some estimate that 80% of projects fail to deliver intended value—and that many of these failures are attributed to leadership and organizational factors.

— Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of intended

Adjective

Increasingly, intentional isolation has replaced sightseeing at the top of the travel agenda.

— Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Evie Lanitis, for instance, was devoted to Qigong, the traditional Chinese practice that combines movement, meditation, and intentional breathing.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of intentional

Adjective

Originally unveiled at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show and put into production in 2005, the Bugatti Veyron was a moonshot project essentially willed into existence by Ferdinand Piëch.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
Anyone who has a negative reaction to this is a weak-willed loser who has ZERO idea how bad Texan has become and is more than likely complicit in selling out our state.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of willed

Browse Nearby Words

voluntarily

voluntary

volunteer

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Style

“Voluntary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/voluntary. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of voluntary

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