indiscriminate

adjective in·dis·crim·i·nate \ ˌin-di-ˈskrim-nət , -ˈskri-mə- \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of indiscriminate

1 a : not marked by careful distinction : deficient in discrimination and discernment

indiscriminate reading habits

indiscriminate mass destruction

b : haphazard, random

indiscriminate application of a law

2 a : promiscuous, unrestrained

indiscriminate sexual behavior

b : heterogeneous, motley

an indiscriminate collection

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indiscriminately

adverb

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indiscriminateness

noun

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Examples of indiscriminate in a Sentence

They participated in the indiscriminate slaughter of countless innocent victims.
He objects to the indiscriminate use of pesticides.
She has been indiscriminate in choosing her friends.

Recent Examples of indiscriminate from the Web

The army, and to a lesser extent the marines, have been accused in the past of excessive or indiscriminate use of force, and of trying to cover up those abuses.

— Washington Post, "Mexican marines admit helicopter fire killed 3 civilians," 6 Apr. 2018
Cumulatively, Weiss’s approach to pre-matrimony body management resembles one of those old TV competitions where contestants tore around a grocery store sweeping indiscriminate armloads of products into their cart.

— charlotte shane, The Cut, "I Think About This a Lot: Emily Weiss’s Wedding Prep Routine," 3 Apr. 2018
These officials pointed to waves of indiscriminate suicide bombings — many of which had been approved by Mansour — that claimed thousands of Afghan lives.

— greg jaffe, Washington Post, "A Dubai shopping trip and a missed chance to capture the head of the Taliban," 24 Mar. 2018
The assault was part of an indiscriminate campaign by President Bashar Assad’s forces to retake the town and the rest of the enclave from the rebels.

— philip issa, BostonGlobe.com, "In Syria, at least 100 killed in attacks in single day," 16 Mar. 2018
The United States and human rights groups accused Moscow of indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, especially hospitals.

— tim lister, CNN, "Assad may win Syria's war, but he will preside over a broken country," 15 Mar. 2018
The attack was reckless, indiscriminate and irresponsible.

— ellen barry and richard pÉrez-peÑa, New York Times, "Britain Blames Moscow for Poisoning of Former Russian Spy," 12 Mar. 2018
This was also a reckless and indiscriminate cyber-attack that will be met with international consequences.

— sean gallagher, Ars Technica, "In terse statement, White House blames Russia for NotPetya worm," 15 Feb. 2018
Some of the country's most historic cities and sites have been pummeled into wastelands of jagged masonry and rusted rebar — the detritus of lives destroyed in campaigns where siege tactics and indiscriminate attacks have become the norm.

— nabih bulos, latimes.com, "Seven years on in Syria: Nobody seems willing to stop the bloodshed," 14 Mar. 2018

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