done, made, or given willingly, without being forced or paid to do it, working, done, or maintained without payment

Formal and Informal Expressions of voluntary

In different contexts, you can replace 'voluntary' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'unpaid, uncompensated' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'willing, not for money' is a commonplace synonym.

voluntary: Explore its Definition & Usage

voluntary Definition

1done, made, or given willingly, without being forced or paid to do it
2working, done, or maintained without payment

Using voluntary: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "voluntary" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
She does voluntary work at the local hospital.
Example
The company has a voluntary pension scheme.
Example
The evacuation was voluntary, not mandatory.
Example
He made a voluntary confession to the police.

voluntary Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for voluntary

Antonyms for voluntary

Phrases with voluntary

voluntary sector
organizations that are not part of the government and are run by volunteers
Example
The voluntary sector plays an important role in providing social services.
voluntary redundancy
when an employee chooses to leave their job and receives a payment from their employer
Example
The company offered voluntary redundancies to reduce its workforce.
voluntary contribution
a donation or gift made willingly and without expectation of compensation
Example
The school relies on voluntary contributions from parents to fund extracurricular activities.

Origins of voluntary

from Latin 'voluntarius', meaning 'of one's free will'

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Summary: voluntary in Brief

The term 'voluntary' [ˈvɒləntəri] refers to actions done willingly, without force or payment. It can describe unpaid work, such as 'She does voluntary work at the local hospital,' or a voluntary pension scheme. 'Voluntary' extends into phrases like 'voluntary sector,' referring to organizations run by volunteers, and 'voluntary redundancy,' when an employee chooses to leave their job.