discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
di-ˈskre-shə-ˌner-ē 
1
: left to individual choice or judgment : exercised at one's own discretion
discretionary powers
2
: available for discretionary use
discretionary income
Examples of discretionary in a Sentence
discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year
Recent Examples on the Web
Residents are prohibited from certain discretionary water uses.
—
Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
And unlike many discretionary purchases, commuting is often nonnegotiable.
—Bybryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Costs will be absorbed within a discretionary cost-of-living adjustment provided in the budget proposal.
—Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Her office has allocated $1 million of discretionary funding to host four large drive-through food distribution events with the food bank as well as a handful of smaller giveaways.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
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Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
And unlike many discretionary purchases, commuting is often nonnegotiable.
—Bybryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Costs will be absorbed within a discretionary cost-of-living adjustment provided in the budget proposal.
—Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Her office has allocated $1 million of discretionary funding to host four large drive-through food distribution events with the food bank as well as a handful of smaller giveaways.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
discretionary
adjective
dis·cre·tion·ary
dis-ˈkre-shə-ˌner-ē
: left to discretion : exercised at one's own discretion
specifically
: relating to the policy-making function of a public official see also Federal Tort Claims Act compare ministerial
Note: A public official generally has qualified immunity from lawsuits that arise from his or her discretionary acts.
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