discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
di-ˈskre-shə-ˌner-ē 
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
In the current edition of the event, each member of Team USA will receive $500,000, of which $300,000 will go directly to charity, and the other $200,000 will be a discretionary stipend.
—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
If my office is later notified that the city has adopted or implemented a policy, whether written or unwritten, that contravenes the statute, the city will again become ineligible for discretionary State funds.
—Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2025
How the employee base ends up feeling drives their engagement, discretionary effort and ultimately the very productivity and innovation organizations prize.
—Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Of this, discretionary spending—which includes transportation, education, housing, social services programs, science outlays, and much more—represented just 26% of the total.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
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Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
If my office is later notified that the city has adopted or implemented a policy, whether written or unwritten, that contravenes the statute, the city will again become ineligible for discretionary State funds.
—Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2025
How the employee base ends up feeling drives their engagement, discretionary effort and ultimately the very productivity and innovation organizations prize.
—Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Of this, discretionary spending—which includes transportation, education, housing, social services programs, science outlays, and much more—represented just 26% of the total.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
dis-ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē
: 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.
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