free will

American  

noun

1. free and independent choice; voluntary decision.

   You took on the responsibility of your own free will.

2. Philosophy. the doctrine that the conduct of human beings expresses personal choice and is not simply determined by physical or divine forces.

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free will British  

noun

1. 1. the apparent human ability to make choices that are not externally determined

   2. the doctrine that such human freedom of choice is not illusory Compare determinism

   3. ( as modifier )

      a free-will decision

2. the ability to make a choice without coercion

   he left of his own free will: I did not influence him

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free will Cultural  

1. The ability to choose, think, and act voluntarily. For many philosophers, to believe in free will is to believe that human beings can be the authors of their own actions and to reject the idea that human actions are determined by external conditions or fate. (See determinism, fatalism, and predestination.)

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Example Sentences

Those who do not subscribe and opt to use TikTok for free will see personalised ads.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

Artie is the type of person who asks people whether they believe in free will and hopes for genuine answers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

That’s when Zosia reveals Carol’s days of free-wheeling free will soon will be over.

From Salon • Dec. 29, 2025

Medically assisted dying is allowed in Germany under certain conditions, the outlet said, for people who are legally capable and acting of their own free will.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

He may have ascribed too much free will to his mentor.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik