discretionary

[ dih-skresh-uh-ner-ee ]

/ dɪˈskrɛʃ əˌnɛr i /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR discretionary ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

subject or left to one's own discretion.

for any use or purpose one chooses; not earmarked for a particular purpose: discretionary income; a discretionary fund.

Origin of discretionary

First recorded in 1690–1700; discretion + -ary

OTHER WORDS FROM discretionary

dis·cre·tion·ar·i·ly, adverb non·dis·cre·tion·ar·y, adjective

Words nearby discretionary

discrete, discrete variable, discretion, discretion is the better part of valor, discretional, discretionary, discretionary account, discretionary trust, discretization, discriminable, discriminant

Example sentences from the Web for discretionary

And customers at the lower end of the income skill are struggling to make ends meet, which pinches their discretionary spending.

Domino’s Fried-Chicken Pizza Means We’ve Hit Peak Food Trolling |Daniel Gross |April 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Discretionary spending comes up every year for renewal; the biggest-ticket item in that category is the defense budget.

Our Mindless Government Is Heading for a Spending Disaster |Nick Gillespie |April 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The federal budget is split into two large categories known as “discretionary” spending and “mandatory” spending.

Our Mindless Government Is Heading for a Spending Disaster |Nick Gillespie |April 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For starters, many of the discretionary programs the sequester slashes partially pay for themselves.

Republicans Don’t Really Care About Reducing America’s Debt |Peter Beinart |October 21, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Rather than rationalize the tax code, or reform entitlements, the government has taken a cleaver to discretionary spending.

A Debt Deal Won’t Save Us |Daniel Gross |October 15, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Bovadilla, invested with discretionary powers, set out with two caravels towards the end of June, 1500.

Celebrated Travels and Travellers |Jules Verne
I have no discretionary power on the subject—my duty is emphatically pronounced in the Constitution.

Key-Notes of American Liberty |Various
Every act of discretionary authority is treason against the constitution.

Leading Articles on Various Subjects |Hugh Miller
This discretionary power might be continued if Congress deem it desirable, whatever general system be adopted.

A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents |James D. Richardson
Hence it is necessary to understand clearly what his intentions were, and what was the discretionary power left to him.

Battles of English History |H. B. (Hereford Brooke) George

British Dictionary definitions for discretionary

discretionary

discretional

/ (dɪˈskrɛʃənərɪ, -ənrɪ) /

adjective

having or using the ability to decide at one's own discretion discretionary powers

Derived forms of discretionary

discretionarily or discretionally, adverb

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

discretionary

adjective

Origin of discretionary

OTHER WORDS FROM discretionary

Words nearby discretionary

Example sentences from the Web for discretionary

British Dictionary definitions for discretionary

discretional

adjective

Derived forms of discretionary

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

discretionary

adjective

Origin of discretionary

OTHER WORDS FROM discretionary

Words nearby discretionary

Words related to discretionary

Example sentences from the Web for discretionary

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discretional

adjective

Derived forms of discretionary

British Dictionary definitions for discretionary