discretionary

adjective

dis·​cre·​tion·​ary di-ˈskre-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce discretionary (audio)
1
: left to individual choice or judgment : exercised at one's own discretion
discretionary powers
2
: available for discretionary use
discretionary income

Examples of discretionary in a Sentence

discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year
Recent Examples on the Web The company’s profit outlook markdown comes at a time when U.S. consumers are still wrestling with inflation, which has been a key factor in their discretionary spending decisions. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 27 June 2024 Improve policies related to discretionary enforcement for police stops, searches and arrests to guide officers' discretion and ensure constitutional and non-discriminatory treatment when enforcing traffic, drug and quality of life laws. Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024 And Americans in various groups are shelling out less on discretionary purchases to pay for essentials, Circana says. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 12 June 2024 For example, Harris said, the district could give leaders at the high-needs schools more discretionary funding or pay staff higher salaries to stay in those schools. Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 10 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for discretionary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discretionary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

discretion + -ary entry 2

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of discretionary was in 1698

Dictionary Entries Near discretionary

Cite this Entry

“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

Legal Definition

discretionary

adjective
dis·​cre·​tion·​ary dis-ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce discretionary (audio)
: left to discretion : exercised at one's own discretion
specifically : relating to the policy-making function of a public official see also Federal Tort Claims Act compare ministerial

Note: A public official generally has qualified immunity from lawsuits that arise from his or her discretionary acts.

More from Merriam-Webster on discretionary

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