Synonyms of optional
14 similar words · 17 opposite words
Another word for optional is discretionary. Other synonyms of optional are elective, facultative, nonobligate, nonobligatory and nonrequisite.
Synonyms and similar words for optional
adjectiveNot compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
- facultativeNot obligate; optional, discretionary or elective.
- discretionaryAvailable at one's discretion; able to be used as one chooses; left to or regulated by one's own discretion or judgment.
- electiveOpen to choice; freely chosen; (also, usually) unnecessary; minor.
- free
- noncompulsoryNot compulsory.
- nonmandatoryNot mandatory.
- nonobligateNot obligate.
- nonobligatoryNot obligatory.
- nonrequiredNot required.
- nonrequisiteNot requisite.
- optionaryOptional.
- unrequiredNot required.
- volitional
- voluntary
Opposite of optional
adjectiveNot compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
- compulsory
- mandatoryObligatory; required or commanded by authority.
- necessary
- obligatory
- binding
- compulsatoryEnforced by or resulting from compulsion; employing force or constraint; compulsory.
- forced
- imperative
- involuntary
- nonoptionalNot optional.
- requiredNecessary; obligatory; mandatory.
- unbewisedUnconscious; unproven.
- unvoluntary
- decretory obsoletePertaining to an authoritative decree or final judgement.
adjectiveMore antonyms
- non-optional
- obligateIndispensable; essential; necessary; obligatory; mandatory; unavoidably invoked.
- requisiteEssential, indispensable, required.
Meaning of optional
- adjective Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
- noun Something that is not compulsory, especially part of an academic course.
- noun In various programming languages, a kind of variable that is assigned a specific data type but may or may not hold an actual value.
optional in other languages
Questions about synonyms of optional
- What is another word for optional?
- Optional has 14 synonyms on Word.ws, such as discretionary, elective, facultative, nonobligate, nonobligatory, nonrequisite and free.
- What is the opposite of optional?
- The opposite of optional is mandatory. Other antonyms of optional are requisite, obligate, nonoptional, required and necessary.
- What does optional mean?
- Optional means not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: optional (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of optional.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/optional. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.