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
Shutdowns primarily affect discretionary spending, which represents only a portion of the federal budget – about 27% in 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
—
Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
This means, cutting back on takeout and cooking more at home, pausing a couple extracurricular activities, and cutting all discretionary shopping.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
Sanogo said that, when individuals do not have the resources to buy everyday essentials or discretionary luxuries, seeing others treat expensive items casually can create feelings of scarcity, which may lead to envy or resentment.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Traditionally, women have been in charge of households’ purse strings and are responsible for more discretionary spending than their male counterparts.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
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Rachel Barber, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
This means, cutting back on takeout and cooking more at home, pausing a couple extracurricular activities, and cutting all discretionary shopping.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
Sanogo said that, when individuals do not have the resources to buy everyday essentials or discretionary luxuries, seeing others treat expensive items casually can create feelings of scarcity, which may lead to envy or resentment.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Traditionally, women have been in charge of households’ purse strings and are responsible for more discretionary spending than their male counterparts.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 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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