vol·un·teer
ˌvä-lən-ˈtir 
1
: a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: such as
a
: one who enters into military service voluntarily
b(1)
: one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest
(2)
: one who receives a conveyance or transfer of property without giving valuable consideration
2
: a volunteer plant
3
capitalized
[Volunteers of America]
: a member of a quasi-military religious and philanthropic organization founded in 1896 by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth
volunteered; volunteering; volunteers
: to offer oneself as a volunteer
volunteered to host the meeting
: to offer or bestow voluntarily
volunteer one's services
1
: being, consisting of, or engaged in by volunteers
a volunteer army
busy with volunteer activities
2
: growing spontaneously without direct human control or supervision especially from seeds lost from a previous crop
volunteer corn plants
Synonyms
Examples of volunteer in a Sentence
Noun
Volunteers are needed to help with the bake sale.
The school was built by volunteers.
Verb
Our son volunteered for military service.
He would not volunteer any information about her whereabouts.
Adjective
volunteer work at the hospital
Recent Examples on the Web
Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Suspected of being an informant for the British Army by the republicans, Jean was secretly killed and buried by a trio of IRA volunteers in 1972.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Julie Garel, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Indeed, one study found that men are about 12% more likely than women to volunteer their previous pay—likely because men were paid more in their previous positions.
—Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023
That’s noteworthy for a show based at a high-school auditorium in Litchfield and run by a staff that is almost entirely volunteer, including the show’s star and its producer.
—Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for volunteer 
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Noun
Many retirees volunteer locally, giving back to their new community and forging friendships with locals.
—Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Suspected of being an informant for the British Army by the republicans, Jean was secretly killed and buried by a trio of IRA volunteers in 1972.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
This Thanksgiving and holiday season our guests may volunteer opinions on any number of divisive topics.
—Julie Garel, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Indeed, one study found that men are about 12% more likely than women to volunteer their previous pay—likely because men were paid more in their previous positions.
—Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Within the past couple of years, the group has become a part of Arrowhead Kingdom, an all-volunteer national network of Chiefs fan groups.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023
That’s noteworthy for a show based at a high-school auditorium in Litchfield and run by a staff that is almost entirely volunteer, including the show’s star and its producer.
—Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2022
See all Example Sentences for volunteer
Articles Related to volunteer
Dictionary Entries Near volunteer
Cite this Entry
“Volunteer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volunteer. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
volunteer
1 of 3 noun
vol·un·teer
ˌväl-ən-ˈti(ə)r
: a person who volunteers for a service
volunteer
2 of 3 adjective
: being, consisting of, or engaged in by volunteers
a volunteer fire department
volunteer activities
volunteer
3 of 3 verb1
: to offer voluntarily
volunteered my services
2
: to offer oneself as a volunteer
volunteered to do the job
Legal Definition
volunteer
noun
vol·un·teer
ˌvä-lən-ˈtir
1
: one that voluntarily undertakes something
especially
: one who without request, obligation, or an interest pays the debt of another and is denied reimbursement from subrogation
2
: one who receives property without giving valuable consideration
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