as in optional
subject to one's freedom of choice
discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 discretionary
Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan’s borough president, announced on Tuesday that all $50 million of his office’s annual discretionary budget would be going towards NYC arts-centric cultural programming and renovation projects.
—
News Desk,
Artforum,
24 June 2026
This decision is a break from past borough presidents who have divided their discretionary budget between various city services, including public housing, parks, and the arts.
—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, who represents Garden Grove and the area near the facility, allocated the money from her discretionary funds.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Wants cover discretionary spending like dining out, entertainment, hobbies and vacations.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
News Desk,
Artforum,
24 June 2026
This decision is a break from past borough presidents who have divided their discretionary budget between various city services, including public housing, parks, and the arts.
—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, who represents Garden Grove and the area near the facility, allocated the money from her discretionary funds.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Wants cover discretionary spending like dining out, entertainment, hobbies and vacations.
—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discretionary
Adjective
-
The company is selling highly customizable electric vehicles that come with few standard features, but plenty of optional add-ons.
-
An optional passenger display also makes its debut on the BMW X5.
Adjective
-
In April, the company offered its first voluntary buyouts.
-
The order described participation by AI developers as voluntary but the framework has not yet been fully developed.
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discretionary. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
