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
Americans face far greater financial challenges from unavoidable expenses such as medical bills and housing costs than from discretionary spending on entertainment.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Use apps to track and reduce discretionary spending, reallocating the savings toward your car fund.
—Natalie Campisi, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Non-defense discretionary spending has already been dialed back, standing at the lowest level in modern history as a percentage of GDP, according to Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Beauty has been a strong category for many retailers, holding up over the past couple of years even as inflation stretched families’ budgets and many shoppers pulled back on discretionary purchases.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discretionary 
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Use apps to track and reduce discretionary spending, reallocating the savings toward your car fund.
—Natalie Campisi, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Non-defense discretionary spending has already been dialed back, standing at the lowest level in modern history as a percentage of GDP, according to Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Beauty has been a strong category for many retailers, holding up over the past couple of years even as inflation stretched families’ budgets and many shoppers pulled back on discretionary purchases.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discretionary
Dictionary Entries Near discretionary
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 21 Dec. 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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