voluntarily
Americanadverb
-
of one’s own accord or by free choice.
Students were mostly attending the sessions voluntarily, so they were reasonably well-behaved.
-
by volunteers, or in a way that depends on voluntary action.
The Political Science Club is a politically neutral and voluntarily operated nonprofit organization.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of voluntarily
Explanation
Use the adverb voluntarily to describe something you do willingly. For example, you might voluntarily stay home and babysit your little brother if the alternative is a trip to the grocery store. People do things voluntarily when they are completely willing to do them, not forced or enticed by anyone else. Kids tend to eat candy voluntarily, ride their bikes with their friends voluntarily, and watch their favorite shows on TV voluntarily. It's easy to see the connection with the verb to volunteer, and both words are rooted in the Latin root voluntarius, "of one's free will."
Vocabulary lists containing voluntarily
Smile
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Chapter 8: Greek Civilization
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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.
She had voluntarily lived in a psychiatric hospital for decades, and died in a Tokyo hospital earlier this month.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Rather than lose in a hearing over a more consequential preliminary injunction, Paramount voluntarily agreed that it would not finalize the transaction until after the trial or by June 1, whichever date comes first.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration offered Amgen the option of voluntarily withdrawing Tavneos from shelves.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Arkansas, Montana and South Carolina voluntarily repealed racial quotas for public bodies after lawsuits based on the Equal Protection Clause.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
He wrote that the conversation was friendly and that Reggie had gone voluntarily into Rindlisbacher’s car.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
