Learning new words is rewarding, especially for your self-esteem and vocabulary. Remember that learning is something you do at all stages of life, from childhood to adulthood, and spending time to know a few words will not burden you. Do you endeavor to learn about “volition definition?”
Volition means “the act of making a conscious choice or decision.” Use the word to discuss the practice of exercising free will. Volition also means “the capability of intention or mindful pronouncement, or the power of will.” This word mostly applies in contexts that show willingness and purpose.
Volition is a popular word in legal writings and speech. It is also often used in psychology and other general English contexts. Read on to learn more about the meanings and usage of “volition” in sentences.
What is the Definition of Volition?
Volition means “doing something willingly or voluntarily.” It is the act of conscious decision-making. That means there is no threat or intimidation to decide on a particular matter.
Here are some examples in sentences;
- The students opened the door for the older friends of their volition but later lied to their patron when trouble came in.
- The lid opened of its own volition, revealing the old stone blade with dulled edges.
- Cassandra talked to the angry employees of her own volition; no one forced her to leave her office.
Other Meanings of Volition
In Psychology, volition is the cognitive process by which an individual decides on or obliges to a specific sequence of actions. Psychologists refer to volition as a primary human psychological function, like motivation and affect. For example, in a sentence, “Of all factors that can influence a person’s choices, none can match the strength of volition.” Also, in philosophy, a volition is an act of will distinguished from the physical movement it intends to bring about.
In law, volition means “a deliberate decision that has not been influenced by external forces and been carefully thought out.” Therefore, law practitioners use the word “volition” to explain that the action was premeditated and not a coincidence or accident. For instance, in a sentence, “The officer helped the inmate escape of her own volition; unlike what she wants everyone to believe.”
Volition When Used in Different Contexts
Context is a fictional or non-fictional situation that inspires the use of a specific word to explain feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Here is a list of contexts when the word “volition” is applicable.
- To explain or describe the freedom or free will to decide or choose
- To describe a conscious choice or decision
- To explain the motivation behind an action
- To describe a state of being purposeful or consenting
Here are a few examples for each context
- The Bodega employee was charged with committing crimes of violence through cold and premeditated volition.
- She walked home of her own volition and later accused her friends of refusing to let her in their car.
- I retired from my position at Tesla of my own volition.
- I gave my volition for them to come into my home.
Frequently Asked Questions about Volition
Let’s get directly into the answers to some questions people often ask when learning about the word “volition” for the first time.
What is the difference between volition and consent? Consent means voluntarily agreeing to a proposal or the desires of another person. On the other hand, volition means willfully deciding to do something or agree with someone. Therefore, these two words are closely related. However, consent is more limited and involves someone else, while volition does not necessarily involve anyone else.
What is the difference between will and volition? The difference between volition and will is that volition implies a conscious choice or decision, while will means desire, longing, or deciding without outside influence.
What does volition mean in legal writing? The word “volition” affirms that a person involved in a crime acted without external influence. Instead, their actions were consciously the person’s choice.
What is the Meaning of Volition?
Volition means to do something or make a decision out of your own free will and knowing what you are doing. Therefore, volition involves consciousness, free will, intent, and a decision.
Below are some sentence examples:
- The men and women who fought in World War II did so of their own volition.
- The girls were allowed their own volition when choosing the men they wanted to accompany them to the parade.
- Autonomy is mostly a matter of volition and should be discussed as such.
Synonyms for Volition
Volition is a popular word with many synonyms (words with similar or the same meaning). Most of the synonyms are used to explain the meaning of the word. Below are some of the main ones;
- Alternative
- Choice
- Option
- Selection
- Liberty
- Purpose
- Will
- Free will
- Wish
- Willingness
- Opportunity
- Resolution
- Autonomy
- Accord
- Free decision
- Free choice
- Self-sufficiency
- Resolve
- Purposefulness
- Resolution
- Tenacity
- Moxie
- Grit
- Inclination
Antonyms for Volition
Apart from the synonyms, you may also benefit from learning the antonyms of “volition.” Below are a few of them;
- Antagonism
- Aversion
- Coercion
- Hate
- Refusal
- Dependence
- Responsibility
- Moral imperative
- Commitment
- Requirement
- Hesitation
- Indecision
- Indecisiveness
- Irresolution
- Indolence
- Serendipity
- Vacillation
- Restriction
- Restraint
- Prohibition
- Impediment
- Hindrance
- Veto
- Refusal
- Stricture
- Extent
- Limit
- Boundary
Rhymes of Volition
If you are a writer, you should also consider learning rhymes for volition to use them in your compositions. You can also use rhymes of volition to teach your child about the new word. Schools and teachers use rhyming words to help kids master language and learn new words. Here are some examples of words that rhyme with volition;
- Commission
- Condition
- Position
- Provision
- Disposition
- Partition
- Proposition
- Transition
- Opinion
- Admission
- Ambition
- Collision
- Deposition
- Omission
- Religion
- Affection
- Foundation
- Imposition
- Mission
- Motion
- Occasion
- Possession
- Precision
- Completion
- Construction
How to Use Volition in a Sentence
The word volition is a noun, and you should use it as such when constructing sentences. You can also use the word in its forms when the context allows.
The English language has specific rules for sentence construction. For instance, a sentence must feature specific parts of speech, like nouns, pronouns, and adverbs. Therefore, it would be wise also to learn the various forms of the word “volition.”
We have explained the most common word forms of volition below.
- Volition is a noun, and it can be countable or countable. Therefore, the plural for volition is volitions.
- The adjective of volition is volunteer or voluntell.
- Since volition is not a verb, it does not have a past or present tense.
10 Examples of Volition in a Sentence
Research shows that people retain the knowledge of new words from reading sentence examples and constructing their own. Below are some examples of volition in sentences.
- The two primary functions of thought and moral actions are volition and cognition.
- For centuries, Psychologists have argued about the role of cognition in volition.
- She slid her arms around his neck and leaned in for the kiss of her own volition.
- The United States army went after the Germans not because they were ordered but out of their own volition.
- “Out of own’s volition” is a very common phrase when learning about the word volition.
- The best way to garner loyalty is to allow people to grant it to you of their own volition.
- Please turn off the lights and let the dog follow you of his own volition.
- The judge sentenced him to seven years for committing the crime of his own volition.
- The perpetrator failed to prove that he did not commit the crime of his own volition.
- I declined the promotion of my own volition and parted ways with the company.
How Do You Spell Volition?
The correct spelling is “V.O.L.I.T.I.O.N.”
Spelling this word is easy because it has no silent letters or complexities. The key to mastering spelling is writing the word over and over. Writing triggers muscle memory, which enables the word to get embedded in your mind.
How Do You Pronounce Volition?
The correct pronunciation for “volition” is “vow-li-shn,” or “\vō-ˈli-shən, və-\.”
An essential part of enhancing your vocabulary is learning proper pronunciation. There are many online resources you can use to practice pronunciation, including Google and online dictionaries.
How Many Syllables Are in Volition?
The word volition has three syllables.
The syllables for “volition” are “vo – li – tion.” The stressed syllable in “volition” is “li.” Note that the stressed syllable is what you should bring attention to by changing your voice pitch when pronouncing a word.
History & Etymology of Volition
The word volition is a native French word with Medieval Latin roots. The word originated from Medieval Latin “volitionem,” a nominative for “volitio.” The prefix for “volition” stems from the Latin word “Volo,” meaning to wish or “velle.” More so, “volition” has Indo-European roots.
When Was Volition First Used?
The word’s first use was in the 1600s.
The first known use of “volition” was in 1605, in various famous writings. Soon after, the word took off, and the general public started using it. Then, in the 17th century, people started using the word “volition” to describe a mindful choice.
Conclusion
Volition means to do something or make a decision willingly, mindfully, and without incitement. It is a relatively easy word to master because of its straightforward meaning. Please read this post to completion and share your thoughts about this word with us or those around you.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.