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
Banking and technology continue to lead in discretionary spending, while industries like telecom and manufacturing remain more conservative.
—
Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Recognizing that different places have different needs, these federal efforts tended to channel resources to communities through discretionary grants rather than formula funding.
—Tim Freeman, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2025
Earlier this week, Musk estimated DOGE could trim $1 trillion from the federal budget, a sizable amount considering discretionary spending totaled $1.7 trillion in 2023.
—Brett Rowland | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Jan. 2025
Many states allot the lottery money to their general revenue funds to be used as discretionary spending.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for discretionary 
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Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Recognizing that different places have different needs, these federal efforts tended to channel resources to communities through discretionary grants rather than formula funding.
—Tim Freeman, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2025
Earlier this week, Musk estimated DOGE could trim $1 trillion from the federal budget, a sizable amount considering discretionary spending totaled $1.7 trillion in 2023.
—Brett Rowland | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Jan. 2025
Many states allot the lottery money to their general revenue funds to be used as discretionary spending.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
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 20 Jan. 2025.
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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