volunteerism

American  

[vol-uhn-teer-iz-uhm] / ˌvɒl ənˈtɪər ɪz əm /

noun

1. voluntarism.

2. the policy or practice of volunteering one's time or talents for charitable, educational, or other worthwhile activities, especially in one's community.

---

volunteerism British  

/ ˌvɒlənˈtɪərɪzəm /

noun

1. the principle of donating time and energy for the benefit of other people in the community as a social responsibility rather than for any financial reward

---

Etymology

Origin of volunteerism

First recorded in 1835–45; volunteer + -ism

Compare meaning

How does volunteerism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• voluntarism vs. volunteerism

Explanation

When someone offers to do work or help out for free, they're engaging in volunteerism. Donating your time at a soup kitchen, animal shelter, or after school program is all part of volunteerism. Any kind of volunteer-based community service is considered to be volunteerism, including coaching at the Boys and Girls Club or retirees reading books to preschoolers. When you volunteer, you're taking part in this tradition of helping others. A college application might even ask about volunteerism — it's a good opportunity to brag about all those hours planting trees in the city parks. Volunteerism originally referred to people voluntarily joining the military, from a Latin root meaning "of one's free will."

Example Sentences

That’s all because we say that most of the interesting stuff is done by volunteerism and entrepreneurship and will, zestful building, not by the coercive powers of the state.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

“Or cuddling with your pet. Service and volunteerism can also be a joy.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2025

But the deluge has also inspired volunteerism among its people, as they face what their president has described as the "most challenging natural disaster" in its history.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

We should seek to fuse protest and volunteerism in fantastically creative ways.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2025

She makes friends easily, and while her routine includes activities like church, school, and volunteerism, she is also incredibly social.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly