indiscriminate

adjective

in·​dis·​crim·​i·​nate ˌin-di-ˈskri-mə-nət 

-ˈskrim-nət

1

a

: not marked by careful distinction : deficient in discrimination and discernment

indiscriminate reading habits

indiscriminate mass destruction

b

: haphazard, random

indiscriminate application of a law

2

a

: promiscuous, unrestrained

indiscriminate sexual behavior

b

: heterogeneous, motley

an indiscriminate collection

indiscriminately adverb

indiscriminateness noun

Synonyms

• assorted
• eclectic
• heterogeneous
• kitchen-sink
• magpie
• miscellaneous
• mixed
• motley
• patchwork
• piebald
• promiscuous
• raggle-taggle
• ragtag
• varied

Examples of indiscriminate in a Sentence

They participated in the indiscriminate slaughter of countless innocent victims.

He objects to the indiscriminate use of pesticides.

She has been indiscriminate in choosing her friends.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the Americans pulled back from rural areas, the ALP militias became increasingly predatory, shaking down locals for bribes; their selective violence became indiscriminate, to use Kalyvas’s terms. —Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024

And in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, security forces imposed a near-total communications blackout to cause terror and mass displacement through the destruction of property and indiscriminate bombing across the region, according to the report. —Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 16 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

indiscriminate

adjective

in·​dis·​crim·​i·​nate ˌin-dis-ˈkrim-(ə-)nət 

: showing lack of discrimination : not choosing carefully

an indiscriminate reader

indiscriminate enthusiasm

indiscriminately adverb