What does "volunteer" mean?
One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay.
Volunteer
/ˌvɒl(ə)nˈtɪə/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay.
- Grammar: volunteer is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: arbitrary, assist, assistant, autonomous.
- Useful contrasts: browbeaten, exacting, coercively pressure students.
- Usage evidence: Others engage in volunteer work.
How to use "volunteer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "volunteer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "volunteer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "volunteer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "volunteer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "volunteer" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "arbitrary" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "volunteer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay.
"The volunteers at the nature reserve meet up ever other Sunday to help its upkeep."
- 2 a native or resident of Tennessee wordnet
- 3 One who enters into military service voluntarily (but who, when in service, is subject to discipline and regulations like other soldiers), as opposed to a conscript.
- 4 a person who performs voluntary work wordnet
- 5 A voluntary member of the organized militia of a country, as distinguished from a regular or member of the standing army.
"That summer and fall the Army organized twenty-five regiments of volunteers, including two black regiments, which would have all-black captains and lieutenants. All officers were to be selected from regulars and volunteers who had distinguished themselves[…]"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 (military) a person who freely enlists for service wordnet
- 7 A person who acts out of their own will without a legal obligation, such as a donor.
- 8 A plant that grows spontaneously, without being cultivated on purpose; see volunteer plant in Wikipedia.
- 9 A native or resident of the American state of Tennessee.
Verb
- 1 To enlist oneself as a volunteer. intransitive
- 2 tell voluntarily wordnet
- 3 To do or offer to do something voluntarily. ambitransitive
"to volunteer for doing the dishes"
- 4 do volunteer work wordnet
- 5 To offer, usually unprompted. transitive
"to volunteer an explanation"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 agree freely wordnet
- 7 To offer the services of (someone else) to do something. informal, transitive
"My sister volunteered me to do the dishes."
- 8 To grow without human sowing or intentional cultivation. intransitive
Adjective
- 1 without payment wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Others engage in volunteer work."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "volunteer"?
Common synonyms include: arbitrary, assist, assistant, autonomous, autonomousness, autonomy.
How do you use "volunteer" in a sentence?
Others engage in volunteer work.
How do you pronounce "volunteer"?
Pronounced /ˌvɒl(ə)nˈtɪə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French voluntaire, from Latin voluntārius (“willing, voluntary”); or from voluntary + -eer.