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
Derived 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
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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.
The OIG report was based on 2024 data, and since then plans have voluntarily removed many prior authorizations, Donahue noted.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
There are currently no federal laws regulating autonomous vehicles, though operators are asked to voluntarily submit safety evaluations to the regulators, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and some state transportation departments.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Rising quits — workers voluntarily leaving jobs to pursue better opportunities — are a vote of confidence in the economy’s vibrancy.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
As he points out, "miners all work voluntarily" to "feed their families".
From BBC • May 31, 2026
He was a bird that had voluntarily caged itself.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
