Meaning & use

supererogatory

adjective·Advanced

Going beyond what duty, obligation, or expectation strictly requires, though still praiseworthy to perform.

See it in a sentence

Donating the entire bonus to charity was a supererogatory act, not a required one.

Philosophers debate whether any truly supererogatory acts exist beyond ordinary moral duty.

A note on using this word

The term is common in ethics, distinguishing acts that are morally admirable but not obligatory from those that duty demands.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

obligatory

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