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

Synonyms of discretionary

• optional
• voluntary

Examples of discretionary in a Sentence

discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year

Recent Examples on the Web

When discretionary permitting authority sits at the local level, projects face different (and often changing) rules, timelines, and political dynamics in every county or municipality. — Tom Bitting, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Bass recently announced an initiative to repair and replace 60,000 streetlights over the next two years, and several council members have turned to their district’s discretionary funding to fix broken streetlights in their districts. — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026

Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan’s borough president, announced on Tuesday that all $50 million of his office’s annual discretionary budget would be going towards NYC arts-centric cultural programming and renovation projects. — News Desk, Artforum, 24 June 2026

This decision is a break from past borough presidents who have divided their discretionary budget between various city services, including public housing, parks, and the arts. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

discretion + -ary entry 2

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing discretionary

• discretionary account
• discretionary income

Rhymes for discretionary

• accretionary
• apothecary
• bicentenary
• certiorari
• concessionary
• concretionary
• confectionary
• confectionery
• constabulary
• contemporary
• deflationary
• depositary

Legal 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.