free willˌfree ˈwill noun [uncountable] 
Examples
He came of his own free will.2the ability to make your own decisions about what to do, rather than being controlled by God or Fate
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Thesaurus- Humans could no longer be allowed any such privileged, mystical feature as free will to distinguish them.
- I came back of my own free will on Friday, and went to the game yesterday.
- I say this of my own free will.
- The replacement of free will with scientific determinism was consequently the crucial starting point for the new positivist criminology.
- The whole canonical process recognizes the primacy of conscience and free will.
Longman Language Activatorwhen you do something willingly► willingly
Phrases · I'd willingly pay higher taxes if the money was spent on health and education.· Hundreds of teenagers volunteer willingly to help in service organizations.· She willingly cut her beautiful long hair in order to play Joan of Arc in Shaw's play.
► voluntarily if you do something voluntarily , especially something difficult, unpleasant, or inconvenient, you do it willingly and not because you are forced to: · She wasn't fired or asked to resign; she left voluntarily.· The company has voluntarily recalled the product to check for defects.
► willing: willing accomplice/partner/participant etc someone who takes part in an activity with someone else without being forced to, especially a dishonest or criminal activity: · The police believe Davison was a willing participant in the murder.· Get a bike, find a willing friend, and explore the bike trails.
► of your own free will if you do something of your own free will , you do it because you choose to and want to, and not because you are forced to: · Nobody forced her to go -- she left of her own free will.· How many of our teenage children actually help around the house of their own free will?
► voluntary actions that are voluntary are done willingly, not because you are forced to do them or have a legal duty to do them: · Most charities rely on voluntary contributions from the public.· Playing sport on Saturday at school was entirely voluntary.· The district is calling for a voluntary ban on using wood-burning stoves, in order to improve air quality.
► readily written if you do something readily , you do it very willingly and without needing to think about whether you should do it or not: · He readily agreed to all our suggestions.· Beth was very tired and readily accepted a seat when it was offered.· Parsons readily took responsibility for the show's failure.
► freely if you freely do or say something, you do or say it willingly, even though it is something that other people might be embarrassed to do or say: · Mrs. Atwood's note said that she freely chose to end her life.freely admit/acknowledge: · I freely admit I made many mistakes.· Ms. Tate freely acknowledges that she hasn't paid the fines, but argues she should not have to.
► gladly if you do something gladly , you are very willing and pleased to do it: · If only I had more money in the bank, I would gladly retire.· When businesses heard about the reason for the fund-raiser, they gladly gave us donations.
WORD SETS► Philosophycausation, nouncosmogony, noundeconstruction, noundeterminism, noundialectic, nounexistentialism, nounfree will, nounhumanism, nounhypothesis, nounidealism, nouninduction, nouninductive, adjectivelateral thinking, nounMarxism, nounmaterialism, nounmetaphysical, adjectivemetaphysics, nounnihilism, nounontology, nounphilosopher, nounphilosophical, adjectivephilosophize, verbpositivism, nounpostulate, nounprecept, nounsolipsism, nounsyllogism, nounTao, nounTaoism, nounthinker, nounthought, nountranscendentalism, nounutilitarian, adjectiveutilitarianism, nounyang, nounyin, nounyin and yang, noun
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► do something of your own free will
1do something of your own free will to do something because you want to, not because someone else has forced you to: - Bronson gave us his confession of his own free will.
- For all men serve him of their own free will.
- Her mouth opened of its own free will to his playfully probing tongue, welcoming the invader.
- I came back of my own free will on Friday, and went to the game yesterday.
- I say this of my own free will.
- She was placed in a safe house but later returned to the coven of her own free will.
- To some extent, adults can choose of their own free will whether to deal with their grief or not.
- Without any reason he left the Firm of his own free will and went to live in Brighton.
He came of his own free will.2the ability to make your own decisions about what to do, rather than being controlled by God or Fate