1
as in arrogant
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
an arbitrary piano teacher who makes all her students do the same exercises over and over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
the order of the names of the 10 semifinalists is entirely arbitrary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a nation with no tradition of democracy, only a long history of arbitrary rulers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arbitrary
This random assortment of tasks may seem arbitrary, even trivial.
—
Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
But in recent years, several organizations have set shorter — and seemingly arbitrary — countdown clocks.
—Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Victims of patent infringement would also be subject to the government's arbitrary determination of monetary damages—rather than a determination through an impartial process in a courtroom.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Anyone who’s ever thrown a pitch or swung a bat knows that the umpire decides in the end — and those decisions have felt arbitrary and highly personal at times.
—Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrary
Nicole Fell, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
But in recent years, several organizations have set shorter — and seemingly arbitrary — countdown clocks.
—Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Victims of patent infringement would also be subject to the government's arbitrary determination of monetary damages—rather than a determination through an impartial process in a courtroom.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Anyone who’s ever thrown a pitch or swung a bat knows that the umpire decides in the end — and those decisions have felt arbitrary and highly personal at times.
—Keith O'Brien, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrary
Adjective
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The actor has one daughter with ex-wife Melanie Griffith and has been dating his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel since 2014. 05 of 09 John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad The actor behind the arrogant Lord Farquaad boasts an impressive career that began decades before Shrek came out in 2001.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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Many members of its board appeared arrogant in the face of questions from the prosecutor or one of the lawyers.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The results derived from a random sampling of 1,004 adults aged 18 and over living in all 50 states, based on phone interviews, with a margin of error plus or minus four percent and with a 95 percent confidence level.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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Webroot can securely erase files for you, overwriting them with random data three times, by default.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This gripping series takes viewers into insidious modern-day cults through the unique lens of members who endured unspeakable trauma and the shocking investigations into these oppressive groups.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2025
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Dominic Frey is a member of the oppressive class and everything Silas should despise — but now their mutual discretion is all that’s keeping them from punishment for their crimes of passion.—
Olivia Waite,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The futuristic worlds that she’s created reflect that, from the dark and dismal cityscapes to the authoritarian prisoner ships run entirely by soulless robots.—
Kyle Wilson,
Rolling Stone,
4 Mar. 2025
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The authoritarian manosphere is organized around a hierarchy topped by heroic male warriors.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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From holding major banks accountable for unfair practices to strengthening regulations that ensure fair access to credit, the CFPB has been a pillar of financial justice, particularly for Black, Latino, and low-income communities whom predatory financial institutions often target.—
Lenwood V. Long, Sr.,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
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California Representative Sara Jacobs countered that targeting transgender kids for political gain is what's truly unfair.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In contrast, private sector benefits can be inconsistent.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, said Monday that McMullen’s conduct was unrelated to the business but was found to be inconsistent with its ethics policy.—
Michelle Chapman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent the kind of tyrannical rule that the colonies fought to free themselves from.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
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The tyrannical showrunner, Cal, is our victim of the week, done in by his (in her mind) long-suffering leading lady, Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf, what a get!), who finally has a chance to put her classical training to work in a production of Macbeth in London.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the comparison of the former Pac-12 to the new Pac-12 isn’t unreasonable, either.—
Jon Wilner,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
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Reasons to hire Gen Z include their focus on balance and staying grounded—which have the benefit of reducing burnout or unreasonable expectations.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to arbitrary
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrary. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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