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Synonyms

by choice

Idioms  
  1. Deliberately, as a matter of preference. For example, No one told me to come; I'm here by choice. This expression replaced the earlier with choice, used from about 1500.


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.

See Examples For:

Join us on a time-travel adventure to the ’90s: If you’ve recently been paralyzed by choice or felt overconnected but underinvested in your friendships, Slate has an antidote for you.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

I have lived here by choice for more than 30 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

The feeling was familiar among her Los Angeles peers, many of whom had spent their 20s and 30s prioritizing other ambitions while delaying, whether by choice or economic necessity, conventional markers of adulthood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

Whether by choice or because they’ve finally had it with the brutal hiring landscape, some are leaving the workforce completely.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026

I thought they were leaving by choice, just going to a safer place to wait out the war.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

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