voluntary
Other forms: voluntaries
Voluntary is an adjective that describes something you do because you want to, without being influenced or forced into it. Usually a voluntary act is something you consciously choose to do, like going into work even on a snow day.
Voluntary comes from the Latin word voluntarius, which means "of one's free will." Voluntary can also describe a service given without any payment expected in return. For example, if your work for the community theater is voluntary, that means that you don't get paid for your time. If you're offering your voluntary help in this way, you might also be called a volunteer, someone who offers free help to assist others.
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of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled“man is a voluntary agent”“participation was voluntary”“voluntary generosity in times of disaster”“voluntary social workers”“a voluntary confession”synonyms:consciousknowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughtsintendedresulting from one's intentionsfreewilldone of your own accordself-imposedvoluntarily assumed or enduredwillingdisposed or inclined towardantonyms:involuntarynot subject to the control of the willunconsciousnot conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or deadforcedforced or compelledunconsciouswithout conscious volitionunwilledwithout deliberate volitionunwillingin spite of contrary volitionunwillingnot disposed or inclined toward
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controlled by individual volition“voluntary motions”“voluntary muscles”antonyms:involuntarycontrolled by the autonomic nervous system; without conscious controlautonomicrelating to or controlled by the autonomic nervous systemvegetativerelating to involuntary bodily functions
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(military) a person who freely enlists for servicesynonyms: military volunteer, volunteertype of:man, military man, military personnel, servicemansomeone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force
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composition (often improvised) for a solo instrument (especially solo organ) and not a regular part of a religious service or musical performance
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Vocabulary lists containing voluntary
Based on a true story, this novel tells the story of a boy who survived imprisonment in multiple Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
Word Generation Weekly, a multidisciplinary program for teachers to implement in their classrooms, combines vocabulary with discussion and debate of various dilemmas. Here are links to the word lists for Word Generation Weekly: Series 1, Series 2, Series 3.