as in capriciously
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Recent Examples of arbitrarily
Salvadoran nationals who were deported from the United States have been arbitrarily detained in El Salvador and have disappeared into the Central American nation's prison system, according to a Human Rights Watch report released on Monday.
—
CBS News, 17 Mar. 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
There are questions about the rights of citizens versus non-citizens, the rights of the US to pull visas arbitrarily.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Federal agents monitored and arrested people arbitrarily.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Of the more than 800 people considered arbitrarily detained for political reasons, the government has released only 49 as of Monday afternoon, according to human rights organization Penal Forum.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
France had maintained Vinatier was arbitrarily detained and had called for his release.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
And atoms and molecules retain energy even if they’re cooled arbitrarily close to absolute zero.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 5 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 17 Mar. 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
There are questions about the rights of citizens versus non-citizens, the rights of the US to pull visas arbitrarily.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Federal agents monitored and arrested people arbitrarily.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Of the more than 800 people considered arbitrarily detained for political reasons, the government has released only 49 as of Monday afternoon, according to human rights organization Penal Forum.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
France had maintained Vinatier was arbitrarily detained and had called for his release.
—Reuters, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
And atoms and molecules retain energy even if they’re cooled arbitrarily close to absolute zero.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrarily
Adverb
-
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
-
The specks of light are small bombs, each carrying up to 11 pounds of explosives, which are released at high altitude from the head of the missile before raining down indiscriminately over a wide area.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Critics worldwide argue that cluster munitions kill or maim indiscriminately, with unexploded bomblets remaining dangerous long after their use.—
Melanie Lidman,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Children are not cars whose gas tanks can simply be carelessly overfilled.—
Lauren Arikan,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
-
For the visitors’ winner, Anthony Gordon unwisely attempted to dribble inside his own half and carelessly lost possession.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Words like impatient get thrown around far too casually, especially with younger employees.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Also, don’t assume that casually telling a rental agent about a problem is enough.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
On Instagram Thursday, the Spanish singer randomly dropped an adorable picture of his brood.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The good Samaritan who helped a woman after she was randomly attacked in Queens is speaking out.—
John Dias,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
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
-
Maude & the Bear, located inside a storybook 1926 Montgomery Ward kit house in Staunton, Virginia, has been whimsically recreated as a modern restaurant and inn.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Mehl notes that some organizations attempt to manage IT informally, purchasing software subscriptions and hardware without building a structured support system around them.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
-
All were dressed informally, except for their sky-high show heels.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 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 27 Mar. 2026.
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