voluntary
Done by choice
Voluntary describes actions done by choice rather than compulsion or obligation.
A voluntary confession comes freely, not under duress.
Voluntary muscles respond to conscious will, unlike the heart.
A voluntary is also a piece of organ music played before, during, or after a church service—traditionally at the organist's discretion.
The noun volunteer shares this root of willing participation.
Settled course of action
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- selectionChosen item or items
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
- alternativesOther available options
options · elective · discretionary · autonomous · independent · planned · purposeful · calculated
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- willingReady without resistance
uncoerced · independent · self-imposed · unforced · freedom · agency · self-directed · volitional
Generous giving for others
- donationVoluntary charitable gift
- altruismPrioritizing others' wellbeing
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
- generosityReadiness to give freely
nonprofit · aid · relief · endowment · fundraising · sponsorship · patronage · giving
Without roughness or difficulty
- striatedMarked with parallel grooves
- cardiacPertaining to the heart
- skeletalOf or like bones
- contractionReduction in size
sphincter · peristalsis · autonomic · visceral · esophageal · intestinal · bladder · arterial
Introductory piece or event
- postludeConcluding musical piece
- interludePause between sections
- organBody's working component
- processionalCeremonial entrance music
recessional · offertory · hymn · anthem · fanfare · improvisation · chorale · liturgical
Aid or maintenance
- communityCollective of connected people
- activismDirect effort for reform
- internshipSupervised professional trial period
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
helping · assistance · civic · grassroots · outreach · mentoring · tutoring · caregiving
decision
Settled course of action
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- selectionChosen item or items
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
alternatives · options · elective · discretionary · autonomous · independent · planned · purposeful · calculated · considered
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- consentVoluntary agreement given
willing · uncoerced · independent · self-imposed · unforced · freedom · agency · self-directed · volitional · free
philanthropy
Generous giving for others
- donationVoluntary charitable gift
- altruismPrioritizing others' wellbeing
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
generosity · nonprofit · aid · relief · endowment · fundraising · sponsorship · patronage · giving · contribution
smooth
Without roughness or difficulty
contraction · sphincter · peristalsis · autonomic · visceral · esophageal · intestinal · bladder · arterial · bronchial
prelude
Introductory piece or event
processional · recessional · offertory · hymn · anthem · fanfare · improvisation · chorale · liturgical · church
service
Aid or maintenance
- communityCollective of connected people
- activismDirect effort for reform
- internshipSupervised professional trial period
apprenticeship · helping · assistance · civic · grassroots · outreach · mentoring · tutoring · caregiving · humanitarian
- freefree, freed, liberated, released, unchained
- organization typesnonprofit, for-profit, corporate, governmental, private
- policy adjectivesfiscal, domestic, foreign, federal, national
- Optional Thingsoptional, elective, nonbinding, unobligated, free choice
- behaviorshabit, aggressive, agitation, conduct, passive
- obligationmandatory, obligatory, required, compulsory, optional
voluntarymandatory
Required by rule
compulsory · forced · obligatory · required · involuntary
voluntaryinvoluntary
Not under conscious control
automatic · instinctive · reflexive · unconscious · unintentional
voluntarypaid
Gave money owed
salaried · compensated · remunerated · professional · waged
- voluntary organizationGroup run by willing participants
- voluntary workUnpaid charitable labor
- voluntary manslaughterKilling with mitigating circumstances
- voluntary serviceUnpaid assistance freely offered
- voluntary retirementChoosing to stop working
- voluntary exileChosen departure from homeland
involuntary, voluntarily, voluntarism, voluntariness, voluntary work