discretionary

adjective dis·cre·tion·ary \ -ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē \

Definition of discretionary

1 :left to individual choice or judgment :exercised at one's own discretion

discretionary powers

2 :available for discretionary use

discretionary income

See discretionary defined for English-language learners

Examples of discretionary in a Sentence

discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year

Recent Examples of discretionary from the Web

Enforcement of the act’s caps are returning for the coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 after they were adjusted in fiscal 2016 and 2017 for discretionary domestic and national security spending.

— roxana tiron, Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Defense Boost May Unravel Into a Deep Cut," 29 Aug. 2017
The overall stock market is up more than 10 percent so far this year, led by tech, health care and consumer discretionary sectors.

— alexander coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "Peltz's P&G haul: $180M so far," 26 July 2017
Parole is a discretionary and conditional form of release.

— michael mccann, SI.com, "O.J. Simpson Granted Parole: What's Next for the Former NFL Star?," 20 July 2017
Under the House plan, defense spending would steadily increase over 10 years while nondefense discretionary spending would decline to $424 billion –

— mike debonis, Alaska Dispatch News, "House GOP unveils budget plan that attaches major spending cuts to coming tax reform bill," 18 July 2017
The actual instructions for this year’s budget require a mere $203 billion in cuts to entitlement programs over the coming decade, along with $130 billion-worth of reductions in non-defense discretionary spending.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "House Budget Proposes Cuts to Medicare, Taxes on the Rich," 18 July 2017
For another, the moderates have basic political and procedural realities on their side: The 2011 Budget Control Act places a hard limit on annual defense and domestic discretionary spending.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "House Budget Proposes Cuts to Medicare, Taxes on the Rich," 18 July 2017
Culberson responded to Price, who withdrew his amendment, and every other petitioner by citing his hope that Congress would rewrite a 2011 budget agreement and lift the current ceiling on domestic discretionary spending, now $511 billion for 2018.

— jeffrey mervis, Science | AAAS, "Why a flat 2018 budget could tie NSF’s hands," 14 July 2017
The discretionary nature of the company's products potentially leaves it vulnerable to a spending slowdown as disposable incomes are squeezed.

— sam chambers, chicagotribune.com, "As Amazon fear widens, one UK retailer is fighting back," 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'discretionary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of discretionary

see discreet

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1698

See Words from the same year

discretionary Synonyms

Synonyms

optional, elective, voluntary

Antonyms

compulsory, mandatory, nonelective, nonvoluntary, obligatory, required

Related Words

alternate, alternative, chosen; dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted

Near Antonyms

essential, indispensable, necessary, requisite

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

DISCRETIONARY Defined for English Language Learners

discretionary

adjective

Definition of discretionary for English Language Learners

: available to be used when and how you decide
: done or used when necessary

Law Dictionary

discretionary

adjective dis·cre·tion·ary \ dis-ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē \

legal Definition of discretionary

: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.