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Mandatory vs Optional - What's the difference?

mandatory | optional | Antonyms |

Optional is a antonym of mandatory.



As adjectives the difference between mandatory and optional

is that mandatory is obligatory; required or commanded by authority while optional is not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.

As a noun mandatory

is a person, organisation or state who receives a mandate; a mandatary.

mandatory

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Obligatory; required or commanded by authority.
    • Attendance at a school is usually mandatory .
  • * 1999 , Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen, Figments of Reality: The Evolution of the Curious Mind , page 276
    • This kind of immediate control structure we take to be characteristic of the tribe, and it leads to a rather rigid type of system in which 'every action not mandatory is forbidden'.
  • Of, being or relating to a mandate.
    • Mandatory Palestine

    Synonyms

    * compulsory * obligatory

    Antonyms

    * (obligatory) optional * (obligatory) elective

    Derived terms

    * mandatoriness

    Noun

    (mandatories)
  • (dated, rare) A person, organisation or state who receives a mandate; a mandatary.

    • External links

    * * * Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary * The Oxford English Dictionary

    Anagrams

    *

    optional

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.
    • On that beach clothing is entirely optional .

    Antonyms

    * obligatory * mandatory * compulsory

    Related terms

    * option * optionality