OPTIONAL Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

optional

adjective

ˈäp-sh(ə-)nəl

Definition of optional

as in voluntary

subject to one's freedom of choice at the resort all recreational activities are optional, and you may choose to participate in none of them

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of optional When equity programs feel disconnected from business strategy or day-to-day workflows, managers treat them as optional compliance exercises rather than core leadership behaviors. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Your authority strengthens when your private foundation is not treated as optional. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026 Perpetual scanning is an optional feature that costs about $10 a year. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 An optional heated vat is available for working with specialty materials and engineering resins. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for optional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for optional

Adjective

Sullivan agreed to include instructions on voluntary manslaughter but not the Bowden charge.

— Sumiko Corley, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Water cuts split states Under the new rules, four states – Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming – are allowed to implement voluntary water reductions instead of mandatory cuts.

— James Powel, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of voluntary

Adjective

Mayor Sam Cunningham, who has more than 23 years in elective office as a member of the City Council or mayor, said the size and response of the crowd was unprecedented for the installation of a police chief.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Knowing whether a patient is frail or not can change a clinician’s sense of whether to act swiftly on what seems like a small problem or to reexamine whether an elective surgery is a good idea, for instance.

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of elective

Adjective

Cramer said that upscale customer base should also make the company more resilient if inflation and higher energy prices weigh on discretionary spending.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Start with your seller’s discretionary earnings or EBITDA, depending on your business size, not your revenue line.

— Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of discretionary

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option

optional

optionally

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“Optional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optional. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of optional

adjective

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