discriminatory

adjective

dis·​crim·​i·​na·​to·​ry di-ˈskri-mə-nə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce discriminatory (audio)
-ˈskrim-nə-
Synonyms of discriminatorynext
1
: discriminative sense 1
2
: applying or favoring discrimination in treatment
discriminatorily
di-ˌskri-mə-nə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē How to pronounce discriminatory (audio)
-ˌskrim-nə-
adverb

Synonyms of discriminatory

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of discriminatory in a Sentence

The law prohibits discriminatory hiring practices. a company that was fined for its discriminatory practices in the hiring of women
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Section 338 was designed to deter foreign retaliation by allowing the President to increase tariffs against a country that had discriminatory tariffs or trade restrictions on American goods. — Caleb Petitt, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 Experts warn this could embolden discriminatory practices and sacrifice innovation. — Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 On Friday, a court in Amsterdam convicted a man of using discriminatory language at a Pride event in the city earlier in the week. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 While significant progress has been made in recent years, discriminatory conduct continues to be a challenge across the game. — Sam Joseph, New York Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for discriminatory

Word History

First Known Use

1745, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of discriminatory was in 1745

Rhymes for discriminatory

See All Rhymes for discriminatory

Browse Nearby Words

discriminatorily
discriminatory
discrown
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discriminatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discriminatory. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

discriminatory

adjective
dis·​crim·​i·​na·​to·​ry dis-ˈkrim-(ə-)nə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce discriminatory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
: showing discrimination : being unfair
discriminatory treatment

Legal Definition

discriminatory

adjective
dis·​crim·​i·​na·​to·​ry dis-ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce discriminatory (audio)
1
: applying discrimination in treatment
2
: having unlawful discrimination as an effect
discriminatorily
-ˌkri-mə-nə-ˈtōr-ə-lē How to pronounce discriminatory (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on discriminatory

Nglish: Translation of discriminatory for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All