as in optional
subject to one's freedom of choice
discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of discretionary
Some other companies are heading toward bankruptcy as Americans cut back on discretionary spending amid persistent inflation.
—
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Financials, consumer discretionary companies and some industrials are benefiting from improving sentiment, cost efficiencies and the prospect of greater policy clarity ahead.
—Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Consumer discretionary businesses, including retailers At Home and Forever 21, accounted for several of those filings.
—Aaron Gregg, Arkansas Online, 29 Dec. 2025
Subscriptions, dining and other discretionary categories tend to grow quietly over time.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 30 Dec. 2025
Financials, consumer discretionary companies and some industrials are benefiting from improving sentiment, cost efficiencies and the prospect of greater policy clarity ahead.
—Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Consumer discretionary businesses, including retailers At Home and Forever 21, accounted for several of those filings.
—Aaron Gregg, Arkansas Online, 29 Dec. 2025
Subscriptions, dining and other discretionary categories tend to grow quietly over time.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discretionary
Adjective
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For debris handling, Beatbot highlights an ultra-large six-liter debris capacity with fine filtration, and its CES release describes an optional three-micron ultra-fine filter for tighter particle capture.—
IE Creative Studio,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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The use of personal protective equipment is optional but encouraged for those who choose to wear it.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The program was also voluntary — if residents saw fit just to throw all their recyclable glass and aluminum and paper into the regular garbage there was nothing stopping them from doing so.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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But that doesn’t mean anyone took it easy on Sherrod, who always participated in voluntary class time.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discretionary. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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