voluntary association

American  

noun

1. a group of individuals joined together on the basis of mutual interest or common objectives, especially a business group that is not organized or constituted as a legal entity.

---

Example Sentences

Against a backdrop of war in the Middle East and Ukraine, the King will commend the unifying force of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries, most of which have historical ties to the United Kingdom and its former empire.

From Washington Times • Oct. 11, 2023

As secretary general of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries that evolved out of the British Empire, Patricia Scotland said the current global financial architecture was not fit for purpose.

From Reuters • Nov. 17, 2022

Many leaders from the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries, are expected to attend what promises to be one of the most challenging security operations that the British government has ever undertaken.

From New York Times • Sep. 14, 2022

The definition which we sometimes hear, that a church is "a voluntary association of believers, united together for the purposes of worship and edification" is most inadequate, not to say incorrect.

From The Ministry of the Spirit by Gordon, A. J. (Adoniram Judson)