voluntary
B2Formal, Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Done, given, or acting of one's own free will; not forced, compelled, or paid.
Relating to or supported by volunteers; (in law) done intentionally, without compulsion or persuasion; (of a muscle) under conscious control; (of an institution) supported by charitable contributions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word carries a strong positive connotation of altruism, free choice, and lack of coercion. In legal contexts, it contrasts with 'involuntary' (e.g., manslaughter). In physiology, it contrasts with 'involuntary' muscles (like the heart).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'voluntary' is commonly used in 'voluntary sector' (charity/NGO sector) and 'voluntary aided school' (state-funded faith school). In the US, 'volunteer' is more common for the sector (e.g., 'volunteer work'). The noun 'voluntary' for a piece of organ music is chiefly British.
Connotations
Similar positive connotations in both varieties. In UK administrative contexts, it can imply 'charity-run' or 'not fully state-funded'.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to institutional names (e.g., 'Voluntary Service Overseas').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
voluntary for someonevoluntary on the part of someoneto be voluntaryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A labour of love (related concept)”
- “Of one's own volition (formal synonym)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to employee-initiated actions, e.g., 'voluntary redundancy scheme', 'voluntary pay cut'.
Academic
Used in social sciences to discuss participation, in law for actions, in biology for muscles.
Everyday
Describing unpaid work, charity involvement, or a choice not required.
Technical
In physiology: 'voluntary muscle control'. In law: 'voluntary manslaughter'. In computing: 'voluntary context switch'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare as verb; use 'volunteer')
American English
- (Rare as verb; use 'volunteer')
adverb
British English
- (Rare; 'voluntarily' is standard) She left voluntarily.
American English
- (Rare; 'voluntarily' is standard) He participated voluntarily.
adjective
British English
- She does voluntary work at the hospice.
- The school is a voluntary aided institution.
- He made a voluntary statement to the police.
American English
- She does voluntary work at the shelter.
- Participation in the study is purely voluntary.
- He took voluntary redundancy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The donation was voluntary.
- She helps her neighbours on a voluntary basis.
- He took voluntary redundancy from his job.
- Participation in the club is completely voluntary.
- The organisation relies on voluntary contributions from the public.
- A voluntary admission of guilt can affect the sentence.
- The government's policy hinges on the voluntary cooperation of industry stakeholders.
- She argued that no action in a coercive system can be truly voluntary.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VOLUNTEER army. VOLUNTARY actions come from the same root – your own free WILL (voluntas in Latin).
Conceptual Metaphor
FREEDOM IS SPACE TO MOVE (e.g., 'She was given voluntary leave'); AN OBLIGATION IS A FORCE (voluntary is the absence of that force).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'добровольный' only in the sense of 'by volunteers'. 'Voluntary confession' is 'добровольное признание', but 'voluntary muscle' is 'произвольная мышца'. Avoid using 'вольный' (which implies free-spirited, not bound).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'volunteer' as an adjective in all contexts (e.g., 'volunteer work' is fine, but 'a volunteer contribution' is less idiomatic than 'a voluntary contribution'). Confusing 'voluntary' (adj) with 'volunteer' (n/v). Misspelling as 'volountary'. Using it to mean 'free of charge' without the connotation of free will.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'voluntary' used to mean 'under conscious control'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Voluntary' is primarily an adjective describing an action done by choice. 'Volunteer' is primarily a noun (a person who offers help) or a verb (to offer to do something). We say 'voluntary work' (the nature of the work) but often 'volunteer worker' (the person).
It often implies unpaid, but the core meaning is 'by free will'. An activity can be unpaid but compulsory (e.g., mandatory internship), so it's not voluntary. The focus is on lack of coercion, not lack of payment.
Yes, 'voluntarily' is the standard adverb. Using 'voluntary' as an adverb (e.g., 'He did it voluntary') is non-standard and considered an error.
In legal terminology, the opposite is 'involuntary manslaughter'. Voluntary manslaughter is an intentional killing with mitigating circumstances (e.g., provocation), while involuntary is unintentional (e.g., through criminal negligence).