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

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. voluntary

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

   Antonyms:
   compulsory, coercive, necessitated, involuntary

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 WordsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. voluntaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   free, volitional, unforced, spontaneous

   Antonyms:
   involuntary

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

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. The Russian Foreign Ministry:

   Introducing new unilateral sanctions against the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sebastopol by the USA and European Union is direct evidence that the West has acknowledged that the decision by the Crimeans to rejoin Russia was unanimous and voluntary, that's why they chose the 'punishment' to be collective.

2. Bertrand Russell:

   One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways.

3. Erich Fromm:

   The history of man is a graveyard of great cultures that came to catastrophic ends because of their incapacity for planned, rational, voluntary reaction to challenge.

4. Benjamin Tucker:

   Certainly voluntary compliance is at the top of the list, because the last thing you want to do is engage in enforcement activities, we have 36,000 officers plus, but we have 8.6 million people, and so there's no way you can enforce your way out of this. You've got to get voluntary compliance.

5. New York Blood Center:

   NYBC's support of the chimpanzees was entirely voluntary, offered on a philanthropic basis to permit discussions regarding Liberia's need to fulfill their responsibilities until the Government of Liberia could take over, the Government of Liberia and animal rights organizations knew all along that our support was voluntary and could not continue.