arbitrariness

Definition of arbitrarinessnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arbitrariness In an effort to construct a system of law that could prevent arbitrary outcomes, the court ended up making room for plenty of arbitrariness in who was allowed to live and who was sentenced to die. Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026 The sense of arbitrariness that had previously bewildered and frustrated me was drowned out by excitement and sheer aesthetic pleasure. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025 As algorithms replace human deciders, HAI-EIS fellow Kathleen Creel argues arbitrariness at scale is morally and legally problematic. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrariness
Noun
  • Despite extreme market volatility last year – especially in the spring of 2025 – the average 401(k) balance rose by 11% to $146,100, according to new data from Fidelity Investments, which analyzed nearly 25 million accounts.
    Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Risks of dependence on volatile oil markets Aligning with Limón’s position, meanwhile, environmental advocates — including Erika Guzman Cornejo from California Environmental Voters — said global oil volatility shows the risks of continued dependence on fossil fuels.
    Chaewon Chung March 3, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Newsom explains his fickleness differently.
    Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The fickleness of decisions relieved some and cursed others.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Less massive objects tend to have rounder orbits, while the most massive, brown-dwarf-like of these objects vary more in their eccentricity.
    Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
  • My goal was to give Jürgen’s eccentricity a backstory and some context.
    Roger Bennett, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Here, the irregularity of the flat stones infuses earthy charm and visual intrigue into the space, while also blending naturally into the landscape.
    Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 20 Feb. 2026
  • No map—not even special ones developed by the Swiss military and downloadable to one's phone—properly conveys the area's topographical irregularity.
    Alice Gregory, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Scientific and engineering advances don't do well in the face of such wild swings and inconstancy.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Europeans, awakened to the danger of American inconstancy, are scrambling to spend trillions more on defense in coming years.
    Adam Rasmi, Time, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Arbitrariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrariness. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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