volition
Americannoun
-
the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing.
She left of her own volition.
- Synonyms:
- choice, discretion
-
a choice or decision made by the will.
-
the power of willing; will.
noun
-
the act of exercising the will
of one's own volition
-
the faculty or capability of conscious choice, decision, and intention; the will
-
the resulting choice or resolution
-
philosophy an act of will as distinguished from the physical movement it intends to bring about
Related Words
See will 2.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of volition
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin volitiōn- (stem of volitiō ), equivalent to vol- (variant stem of velle “to want, wish”; see will 1) + -itiōn- -ition
Explanation
Doing something willingly or voluntarily is doing it of your own volition. You might not always enjoy the books your teacher assigns, but you love the historical novels you pick up of your own volition. Volition comes from Latin and French roots meaning "wish" or "will." Legal speech and writing often include the word volition, as a way to affirm that a person involved in a crime acted "on their own volition," or consented to be part of the crime. Maybe criminals don't wish to go to jail, but their acts often show their volition to break the law.
Vocabulary lists containing volition
To Kill a Mockingbird
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Things They Carried
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
This is the stuff that usually ends in short order with a resignation, either of the member’s own volition or at the speaker’s insistence.
From Slate • Feb. 28, 2026
We spend more time with coworkers than friends, but that’s out of obligation, not volition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025
"They have had 15, 20 years in this space to do that of their own volition now, and… it's not enough."
From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025
McCain left her job as co-host of “The View” of her own volition after a contentious stint on the daytime talk show.
From Salon • Sep. 18, 2025
Down they fell, onto the men who were lying unseen, jagged and dark and without volition, far below.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
