voluntary

Speech parts

1. voluntary - Noun

2. voluntary - Adjective

3. voluntary - Verb

4. voluntary - Adverb

Meaning

Proceeding from the will; produced in or by an act of choice.

Unconstrained by the interference of another; unimpelled by the influence of another; not prompted or persuaded by another; done of his or its own accord; spontaneous; acting of one's self, or of itself; free.

Done by design or intention; intentional; purposed; intended; not accidental; as, if a man kills another by lopping a tree, it is not voluntary manslaughter.

Of or pertaining to the will; subject to, or regulated by, the will; as, the voluntary motions of an animal, such as the movements of the leg or arm (in distinction from involuntary motions, such as the movements of the heart); the voluntary muscle fibers, which are the agents in voluntary motion.

Endowed with the power of willing; as, man is a voluntary agent.

Free; without compulsion; according to the will, consent, or agreement, of a party; without consideration; gratuitous; without valuable consideration.

Of or pertaining to voluntaryism; as, a voluntary church, in distinction from an established or state church.

One who engages in any affair of his own free will; a volunteer.

A piece played by a musician, often extemporarily, according to his fancy; specifically, an organ solo played before, during, or after divine service.

One who advocates voluntaryism.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

optional spontaneous unpaid free chosen willing honorary intentional elective discretionary willful volitional unprompted unforced unsalaried
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Antonyms

involuntary must required necessary forced paid
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Hypernyms

man solo serviceman military personnel military man

Hyponyms

postlude

Phrases with the word

voluntary decision voluntary fast voluntary services voluntary behaviour voluntary workers voluntary muscle layer

Derivatives

voluntaries

Examples

Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness. Seneca

That no government, so called, can reasonably be trusted for a moment, or reasonably be supposed to have honest purposes in view, any longer than it depends wholly upon voluntary support. Lysander Spooner

A multitude of causes unknown to former times are now acting with a combined force to blunt the discriminating powers of the mind, and unfitting it for all voluntary exertion to reduce it to a state of almost savage torpor. William Wordsworth

Voluntary is better than force. Swahili Proverb

The voluntary obedience of people depends on who is commanding them. Myanmar Proverb

A voluntary burthen is no burthen. Italian Proverb

Close letter words and terms

voluntarist voluntaristic voluntarity voluntary activity voluntary agent voluntary aided school