Synonyms for voluntary
ˈvɒl ənˌtɛr ivol·un·ta·ry

Wiktionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   willful, optional, discretionary, volitional

   Antonyms:
   compulsory, involuntary, obligatory

2. voluntaryadjective

   Done, given, or acting of one's own free will.

   Synonyms:
   volitional, willful, optional, discretionary

   Antonyms:
   involuntary, obligatory, compulsory

3. voluntaryadjective

   A volunteer

   Synonyms:
   volitional, optional, willful, discretionary

   Antonyms:
   compulsory, obligatory, involuntary

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. voluntary

   That is spontaneous which is freely done, with no external compulsion and, in human actions, without special premeditation or distinct determination of the will; that is voluntary which is freely done with distinct act of will; that is involuntary which is independent of the will, and perhaps in opposition to it; a willing act is not only in accordance with will, but with desire. Thus voluntary and involuntary, which are antonyms of each other, are both partial synonyms of spontaneous. We speak of spontaneous generation, spontaneous combustion, spontaneous sympathy, an involuntary start, an unbidden tear, voluntary agreement, willing submission. A babe's smile in answer to that of its mother is spontaneous; the smile of a pouting child wheedled into good humor is involuntary. In physiology the action of the heart and lungs is called involuntary; the growth of the hair and nails is spontaneous; the action of swallowing is voluntary up to a certain point, beyond which it becomes involuntary or automatic. In the fullest sense of that which is not only without the will but distinctly in opposition to it, or compulsory, involuntary becomes an antonym, not only of voluntary but of spontaneous; as, involuntary servitude. A spontaneous outburst of applause is of necessity an act of volition, but so completely dependent on sympathetic impulse that it would seem frigid to call it voluntary, while to call it involuntary would imply some previous purpose or inclination not to applaud.

   Synonyms:
   automatic, free, impulsive, instinctive, involuntary, spontaneous, unbidden, willing

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. voluntary

   Synonyms:
   deliberate, spontaneous, free, intentional, optional, discretional, unconstrained, willing

   Antonyms:
   compulsory, coercive, necessitated, involuntary

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. volunteer, military volunteer, voluntarynoun

   (military) a person who freely enlists for service

   Synonyms:
   unpaid worker, military volunteer, volunteer

   Antonyms:
   unwilling, forced, unwilled, vegetative, unvoluntary, reflexive, involuntary, automatic, unconscious, driven, nonvoluntary, goaded, reflex(a), autonomic

2. voluntaryadjective

   composition (often improvised) for a solo instrument (especially solo organ) and not a regular part of a religious service or musical performance

   Synonyms:
   military volunteer, volunteer

   Antonyms:
   reflex(a), involuntary, unwilled, forced, unwilling, autonomic, reflexive, unconscious, automatic, nonvoluntary, unvoluntary, goaded, vegetative, driven

3. voluntaryadjective

   of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled

   "man is a voluntary agent"; "participation was voluntary"; "voluntary manslaughter"; "voluntary generosity in times of disaster"; "voluntary social workers"; "a voluntary confession"

   Antonyms:
   driven, vegetative, reflex(a), involuntary, reflexive, autonomic, unwilled, nonvoluntary, goaded, unwilling, automatic, unvoluntary, unconscious, forced

4. voluntaryadjective

   controlled by individual volition

   "voluntary motions"; "voluntary muscles"

   Antonyms:
   reflex(a), forced, vegetative, unconscious, involuntary, unvoluntary, nonvoluntary, autonomic, driven, reflexive, unwilling, unwilled, goaded, automatic

Matched Categories

1. • Physiology

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   spontaneous, free, unforced, unconstrained, without compulsion

2. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   willing, from inclination

3. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   designed, intended, intentional, purposed

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   free, volitional, unforced, spontaneous

   Antonyms:
   involuntary

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "voluntary":

   volunteer, volunteers, voluntarily, optional, volunteering, volontaires, freiwilligen, volontari, volunteerism, wilful, volontaire, deliberate, volunteered, voluntariness, freewill, spontaneous, intentional, boneheads

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How to use voluntary in a sentence?

1. Katie Simon from Michigan:

   I had to fight for my employer to continue to allow me to work from home because we had no options for child care... They had suggested I take a voluntary layoff with no promise of return.

2. Matthias Mueller:

   In the U.S. the (emission) limits are stricter, which makes the fix more complicated. And taking part in the buyback is voluntary (for customers), which is not the case in Germany, for example.

3. Anthony Fauci:

   I believe that's going to turn this around because I don't think people are going to want to not go to work or not go to college... They're going to do it, you'd like to have them do it on a totally voluntary basis, but if that doesn't work, you've got to go to the alternatives.

4. Eugen Weinberg:

   In order to avoid a price slide and a massive inventory build, OPEC+ would need to implement further voluntary production cuts, the challenge facing OPEC+ is thus likely to become even bigger next year, maintaining the pressure on the oil price.

5. James Lawler:

   It is CDC’s position that since the research is being proposed for a group of individuals who are detained under a federal quarantine order, the circumstances of voluntary participation would be extremely difficult to assure and therefore, CDC does not approve this study.