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
The hope is that the brick-and-mortar store will spur consumers to buy more, as discretionary spending on big-ticket items online, such as the furniture that is Wayfair’s bread and butter, has plunged since the end of the pandemic.
—
Chris Morris, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024
Related Articles Adding to the mammoth regulatory code is San Francisco’s unique tradition of subjecting every permit to discretionary review, which was established by a legal opinion from the city attorney in 1954.
—Christopher Calton, Orange County Register, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discretionary 
Chris Morris, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024
Related Articles Adding to the mammoth regulatory code is San Francisco’s unique tradition of subjecting every permit to discretionary review, which was established by a legal opinion from the city attorney in 1954.
—Christopher Calton, Orange County Register, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discretionary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discretionary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near discretionary
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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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