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• at-will
  at-will

  adjective

  being, relating to, or involved in a work agreement that the employer or employee may legally end at any time without notice or cause.
• at will
  at will

  Freely, as one pleases, as in The grounds are open to the public and one can wander about at will, or With this thermostat you can adjust the room temperature at will. [1300s]

at-will

American  

[at-wil] / ˈætˈwɪl /

adjective

1. being, relating to, or involved in a work agreement that the employer or employee may legally end at any time without notice or cause.

   Companies in this industry often use both contract and at-will employment options.

   Since they aren't at-will employees, they can only be discharged with cause.

   Even in at-will states, employers cannot fire you for discriminatory reasons.

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at will Idioms  

1. Freely, as one pleases, as in The grounds are open to the public and one can wander about at will, or With this thermostat you can adjust the room temperature at will. [1300s]

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Etymology

Origin of at-will

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at-will at will

“That would turn for-cause protection into little more than at-will employment.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Slaughter overturned the 1935 Humphrey’s Executor precedent, which had protected regulators from at-will termination for 91 years.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

US employers generally have broad discretion to fire workers for any reason, as most staff are hired under "at-will" contracts.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025

And the secretary’s power of at-will removal resolves one part of the panel’s constitutional flaw.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2025

Principals have tenure protections as teachers but are at-will employees as principals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024

It gives him the ability to fly and to manifest objects at will, most often a protective green bubble, but also a bottle opener and a $10 bill.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

There was the Kylian Mbappé game, in which the France forward carved open Sweden’s defense at will.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Instead, the surviving spouse can redeploy the funds at will.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

"Three years in a row, they change at will."

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Mosquitoes landed on his lips and tongue at will.

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen

Related Words

• candidly
• openly
• voluntarily
• willingly