Jump To:

• 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.

---

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]

---

Etymology

Origin of at-will

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

at-will at will

Now, historically, the heads of agencies like the State and Commerce and Defense departments have already been subject to at-will presidential control.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026

The court had to decide whether it would uphold Humphrey’s Executor, a precedent from a landmark Supreme Court decision in 1935 that protected employees of federal regulatory agencies from at-will termination.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

She remains an at-will employee, according to people familiar with the matter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 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

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

Infantino has "crossed red line after red line", Sir Ed says, accusing him of "allowing corporate greed to exploit fans at will, destroying the integrity of the beautiful game".

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Besides, Mazin’s most significant plot tweak is much more striking: he gives George’s flock the power to forget any unpleasant thing they want to as a group, at will.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

But the high multiple Cerebras is currently trading at will rely on the company’s success with its products going forward.

From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026

Or maybe it was someone who could just appear and disappear at will, like Katherine’s ghost.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• candidly
• openly
• voluntarily
• willingly