as in capriciously
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Recent Examples of arbitrarily
This included the minutes that referees would seemingly arbitrarily add to each half.
—
Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Discretion exercised arbitrarily undermines it.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Daily News, 3 June 2026
Right now New York City’s system arbitrarily denies rent regulation to millions of tenants — like only covering buildings with six or more units built before 1974 that weren’t deregulated before 2019.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 2 June 2026
The hundreds of thousands of people every year who have been clearing the legal requirements of adjustment of status cannot have their rights cut off arbitrarily.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The people whose few belongings were being arbitrarily picked up and thrown by a crane into the trash were not harassing staff.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
According to Mavares, investigators then arbitrarily selected which officers would remain detained.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 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
Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Discretion exercised arbitrarily undermines it.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Daily News, 3 June 2026
Right now New York City’s system arbitrarily denies rent regulation to millions of tenants — like only covering buildings with six or more units built before 1974 that weren’t deregulated before 2019.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 2 June 2026
The hundreds of thousands of people every year who have been clearing the legal requirements of adjustment of status cannot have their rights cut off arbitrarily.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 27 May 2026
The people whose few belongings were being arbitrarily picked up and thrown by a crane into the trash were not harassing staff.
—Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
According to Mavares, investigators then arbitrarily selected which officers would remain detained.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 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
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
-
This surveillance network indiscriminately records millions of trips every month, whether people are on their way to work, dropping their kids off at school, seeking health care, going to a place of worship or attending a protest.—
Lisa Femia,
Mercury News,
6 Dec. 2025
-
Everyone puts lotion on everyone, people get horny and kiss indiscriminately.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
25 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
But also just a touch ironic — like a man handing out fire safety pamphlets while carelessly flipping burgers over a bonfire on his porch.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The days of carelessly grabbing your beach bag, towel, and bikini and heading to the beach are long gone.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adverb
-
For a day trip, casually head to one of the world’s natural wonders, only 18 miles away, to Yellowstone National Park.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
Perry looked casually cute for her day in the park and wore a white T-shirt with khaki slacks.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Adverb
-
Upping the supernatural Hammer horror effect of Skrilla’s Zombie Love Kensington Paradise, Happy randomly flaps his lips, shifts his pitch and the tempo of his flow, and sounds like a disembodied voice rapping from inside of a suffocating fog.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Adelman, who is among the most liberal judges in the country, was randomly selected to hear the case.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
10 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Out in the high desert near Cabazon, my favorite stops are Hadley’s Fruit Orchards, home of the famous Hadley date shakes, and the whimsically Cabazon Dinosaur sculptors.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
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
Adverb
-
The experts said the therapy, known informally as TRT, has been underutilized due to outdated concerns about risks of prostate cancer, stroke and heart disease.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Most informally, among the royal family and in her royal duties, the princess prefers to be known simply as Catherine.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
17 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
And since its stranding, the animal has reportedly been breathing irregularly and hardly moving.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2026
-
It is alleged that the contract was irregularly awarded and some of the police officers received bribes from the winning bidders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrarily. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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