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 freeze, among other items, included prohibiting departments from entering into new contracts or agreements, halting discretionary and non-essential IT purchases, unless related to a critical security needs, and canceling non-essential travel. Vik Jolly, Sacramento Bee, 23 May 2024 During the first quarter, Target reported a 3.7% sales decline as customers backed off from purchasing groceries and discretionary goods, such as home decor and apparel. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 22 May 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 1 Jun. 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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