voluntary

/ˈvɒləntri/

done or given willingly

She made a voluntary donation to the charity.

She chose to donate without being asked or forced.

general

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

Voluntary work helps build community spirit.

People choose to volunteer their time to help others.

Often used in contexts like volunteering, donations, or actions taken without external pressure.

formal

Relating to or done by the will or choice of the person.

The company implemented voluntary retirement for employees over 60.

Employees could choose to retire early without penalty.

Common in legal, organizational, or policy contexts.

Collocations

voluntary workunpaid work done willinglyvoluntary donationmoney or goods given freelyvoluntary retirementchoosing to retire early

a person who does work without pay

organizations that rely on unpaid work

In legal or organizational settings, 'voluntary' emphasizes choice over obligation.

Do not use 'voluntary' with words like 'willingly' or 'freely' in the same sentence.

From Latin 'voluntarius' (willing), from 'voluntas' (will).

Often used in contrast to 'mandatory' or 'compulsory' actions.

volunt-

will, choice

root

-ary

relating to

suffix

English Dictionary