as in capriciously
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Recent Examples of arbitrarily
The constitutional principle behind that decision – that citizenship is a fundamental right which can’t be arbitrarily taken away by whoever happens to be in power – applies equally to how the government handles denaturalization cases today.
—
Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
This undermines our Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures — in other words, everyone deserves to drive without fear of being arbitrarily pulled over.
—Lauren Aung, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2026
These types of homes should not be arbitrarily restricted from the state’s residential areas.
—Eliza Terziev, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
The plaintiffs at the center of this case are not being targeted arbitrarily.
—Mikayla Price, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
No such rules appear to exist for Saudi Arabia, whose leaders have been accused of arbitrarily arresting, jailing and torturing people who speak out against the government.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Much smaller than originally thought Initially, when discovered in January, it was arbitrarily assumed that Comet MAPS might be rather large, as most Kreutz comets go.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
That standard would uphold the NCAA’s interpretation of the waiver rule so long as the NCAA didn’t act arbitrarily or capriciously, either of which is difficult to show.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
This undermines our Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures — in other words, everyone deserves to drive without fear of being arbitrarily pulled over.
—Lauren Aung, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2026
These types of homes should not be arbitrarily restricted from the state’s residential areas.
—Eliza Terziev, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
The plaintiffs at the center of this case are not being targeted arbitrarily.
—Mikayla Price, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
No such rules appear to exist for Saudi Arabia, whose leaders have been accused of arbitrarily arresting, jailing and torturing people who speak out against the government.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Much smaller than originally thought Initially, when discovered in January, it was arbitrarily assumed that Comet MAPS might be rather large, as most Kreutz comets go.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
That standard would uphold the NCAA’s interpretation of the waiver rule so long as the NCAA didn’t act arbitrarily or capriciously, either of which is difficult to show.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrarily
Adverb
-
Permits that are granted and withdrawn capriciously, tax credits that come and go, technologies that fall in or out of favor in successive administrations, and endless legal battles all amount to dangerous barriers to investment.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
That standard would uphold the NCAA’s interpretation of the waiver rule so long as the NCAA didn’t act arbitrarily or capriciously, either of which is difficult to show.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Innate defenses include everything from physical barriers—skin, mucous, gastric acid—to immune cells that can indiscriminately gobble invaders, as well as chemical signals that can swiftly ignite generic inflammation.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
-
The sounds grew louder, and soon armed and masked men were swarming the village, setting its straw huts on fire and indiscriminately shooting villagers.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
When Tel received the ball in his own half a couple of minutes later and lost it carelessly, there were a few groans from the home fans.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
During the pavilion’s preview, a brief but loud protest led by Russian dissident disruptors Pussy Riot and the Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN might have been the most exciting thing to happen at the underwhelming and carelessly presented group show of live performance and video art.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Adverb
-
Something casually exchanged could become strategically useful.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
The footage shows officers carefully opening the bathroom door before the confused bear casually strolls out and heads down the sidewalk to freedom while officers and bystanders scatter out of the way.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Adverb
-
The act also would have shifted oversight of safety and testing from the Marijuana Enforcement Division to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and funded a program in which regulators would randomly collect marijuana products from dispensaries to test them for contaminants.—
Christopher Osher,
ProPublica,
15 May 2026
-
Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adverb
-
No landlord would allow an occupant to change his property without approval, let alone whimsically destroy a third of it.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Something this rare — this pink, this whimsically named — had been thriving just steps away from a local community, entirely unrecognized until the survey team went out to look.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Instead, the conversation tends to play out informally, among audiences and peers.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
Before the Twenty-fifth, Presidents had informally handed over power to the Vice-President during medical issues or temporary absences, but always voluntarily.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Adverb
-
Political factions are steered by big personalities, and politicians jump promiscuously between parties.—
BEN BLAND,
Foreign Affairs,
13 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrarily. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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