volition

American  

[voh-lish-uhn, vuh-] / voʊˈlɪʃ ən, və- /

noun

1. the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing.

   She left of her own volition.

   Synonyms:

   choice, discretion

2. a choice or decision made by the will.

3. the power of willing; will.

---

volition British  

/ vəˈlɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of exercising the will

   of one's own volition

2. the faculty or capability of conscious choice, decision, and intention; the will

3. the resulting choice or resolution

4. philosophy an act of will as distinguished from the physical movement it intends to bring about

---

Related Words

See will ².

Other Word Forms

• nonvolition noun
• supervolition noun
• volitional adjective
• volitional; adjective
• volitionally adverb
• volitionary adjective

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”; will ¹ ) + -itiōn- -ition

Example Sentences

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

Her volition and intention don’t matter because an artist who is in on the joke makes hating less fun for the thoughtless critic.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2026

Gazans reached by the Journal said they signed up with Al-Majd of their own volition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025

Nielsen and Goss left of their own volition.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024

This time a yell tears from my body of its own volition, joining with the others in agreement.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth