voluntary
gb/vˈɑləntɛɹi/ us/vˈɑləntɛɹi/
B1
Anglais
~ 2300
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
Done freely without pressure
Done because you choose to, not because you have to or are paid.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is voluntary
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'voluntary' with 'volunteer'. 'Voluntary' describes something done by choice, while 'volunteer' refers to a person who offers to do something without pay.
Synonymes
optional (Implies something is not required but available as a choice.)
|
willing (Focuses more on the person's readiness or desire rather than the absence of compulsion.)
Antonymes
mandatory (Required by rules or laws; not optional.)
|
compulsory (Must be done; no choice allowed.)
Collocations
voluntary work
|voluntary contribution
|voluntary action
|voluntary agreement
Thèmes
work
|law
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Exemples
- Participation in the survey is completely voluntary.
- He made a voluntary donation to the charity.
- The company offers voluntary training sessions for employees.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The meeting is voluntary.
- She gave a voluntary gift to the school.
- Joining the club is voluntary.
adjective
technical
B2
property
2
Controlled by conscious decision (biology)
About body movements you can control with your mind.
Schéma d’usage :
voluntary [muscle/movement/action]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse voluntary (controlled) with intentional; in biology, voluntary refers specifically to muscles/actions controlled consciously.
Synonymes
intentional (Refers broadly to actions done on purpose; less technical than 'voluntary' in physiology.)
Antonymes
involuntary (Happening without conscious control.)
Collocations
voluntary muscle
|voluntary movement
|voluntary control
Thèmes
science
|health
|body
Exemples
- Walking is a voluntary movement controlled by the brain.
- The experiment measured both voluntary and involuntary muscle responses.
- Speech involves the use of voluntary muscles in the mouth and throat.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Smiling can be a voluntary action.
- We can make voluntary movements like raising a hand.
- Breathing fast can be voluntary when running.
Nom
C1
entity
3
Short musical piece before service
A short piece of music played in church before or after the service.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners might think 'voluntary' here means 'optional', but in music it refers to a specific type of piece.
Synonymes
prelude (A short introductory piece of music; not limited to church settings.)
Collocations
organ voluntary
Thèmes
music
|religion
|arts_entertainment
Exemples
- The organist played a beautiful voluntary before the service began.
- The wedding ceremony started with a joyful voluntary.
- The choir entered as the organ voluntary came to an end.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The organist played a voluntary.
- We heard a voluntary before the service.
- The voluntary was slow and calm.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
voluntary
API
GB/vˈɑləntɛɹi/
US/vˈɑləntɛɹi/
Syllabes et accentuation
vol - un - tary (3 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (vol)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: voluntary
Noun
- Base: voluntary
- Plural: voluntaries
Famille de mots
Forms
voluntaries
noun
Core family
voluntarily
adverb B2
volunteer
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
involuntary
adjective
involuntarily
adverb B2
Advanced or less common
volunteerism
noun C1
Expressions
voluntary sector
1/vˈɑləntɛɹi sˈɛktɚ/
fixed phrase
Nonprofit part of economy
Organizations and activities that are not for profit and often depend on volunteers and donations.
Exemples
- Funding cuts have hit the voluntary sector hard this year.
- The voluntary sector plays an important role in supporting communities.
voluntary work
1/vˈɑləntɛɹi wˈɚk/
fixed phrase
Unpaid work done by choice
Work that you do because you want to, without pay, usually to help people or an organization.
Exemples
- She spends her weekends doing voluntary work at the animal shelter.
- Voluntary work can be a great way to gain experience.
voluntary redundancy
1/vˈɑləntɛɹi ɹɪdˈʌndənsi/
fixed phrase
Agreed job departure with payout
When a worker agrees to leave their job because their employer offers money or benefits for them to go.
Exemples
- The company offered voluntary redundancy packages to reduce staff numbers.
- The firm offered voluntary redundancy to reduce staff numbers without making compulsory cuts.
- She took voluntary redundancy after 15 years with the firm.
- She applied for voluntary redundancy when the scheme was announced.