Definition

Adjective: - Relating to or involving the will or the power of making conscious choices: Describes an act, process, or state that is performed or experienced as a result of a deliberate, conscious decision or exercise of the will.

Usage

The adjective "volitional" is used to qualify nouns that involve conscious choice, intention, or willpower. It is often employed in formal, academic, or psychological contexts to distinguish actions that are willed from those that are automatic, reflexive, or involuntary.

Examples

• The decision to apologize was a volitional act of courage.
• Breathing is usually automatic, but it can become volitional during meditation or singing exercises.
• Psychologists study the difference between volitional and habitual behaviors.

Advanced Usage

• Volitional Control: Refers to the conscious, deliberate regulation of one's actions, thoughts, or emotions.
  • Through therapy, she gained greater volitional control over her anxiety responses.
• As a philosophical or psychological term, it is central to discussions of free will, agency, and responsibility.

Variants and Related Words

• Volition (n): The faculty or power of using one's will; the act of making a conscious choice.
  • She left the company of her own volition.
• Volitive (adj): A less common synonym for "volitional," often used in grammatical contexts (e.g., volitive mood).

Synonyms

• Deliberate: Done consciously and intentionally.
• Intentional: Done on purpose.
• Wilful (Willful): Possessing or done with stubborn or intentional will.
• Conscious: Aware of and responding to one's surroundings; done with awareness.

Antonyms

• Involuntary: Done without conscious control or intention.
• Automatic: Operating by itself without conscious thought.
• Reflexive: Performed as a reflex, without conscious thought.
• Instinctive: Relating to or prompted by instinct; not learned.

Adjective

1. with deliberate intention
   • a volitional act