optional
Americanadjective
-
left to one's choice; not required or mandatory.
Formal dress is optional.
- Synonyms:
- voluntary, elective, discretional
-
leaving something to choice.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of optional
Explanation
If you can choose whether or not to do something, it is optional. Extra credit is always optional; death and taxes are not. When you buy a new car, you can decide which options or choices, you would like. Things like a DVD player mounted in the ceiling are optional, you don't need them for the car to work, and it's up to you if you want to pay more for them. The opposite of optional is mandatory. If you're in high school, going to bed at 8:00 is optional, for your little sister in elementary school, it's mandatory.
Vocabulary lists containing optional
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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New Kid
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One common program used by big tech companies is the Optional Practical Training program, or OPT, which gives foreign graduates at U.S. universities temporary employment after graduation, typically for a year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
For them, the job search has the additional hurdle of finding an employer that can sponsor their application within 90 days of starting short-term Optional Practical Training in their field of study.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 2, 2023
"Optional add-ons are not required in order to fly, and we believe that customers should be offered the choice and flexibility to choose the right products for them," the spokesperson said.
From BBC • Aug. 19, 2023
Optional: Sprinkle sugar over berries and allow time for sugar to dissolve.
From Salon • Aug. 10, 2023
Optional but recommended: For a nice touch, stow a small scented satchel inside.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
