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
President Trump's budget proposal would cut 22% of non-defense discretionary spending next year while significantly increasing defense spending, according to a senior official with the Office of Management and Budget and information provided by the White House.
—
Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 2 May 2025
Its middle income shoppers have pulled back on discretionary spending in the face of still-high prices for necessities.
—Time, 2 May 2025
Trump, Biden allies divided over GDP report One crisis away from homelessness
While discretionary spending is somewhat determined by priorities, income is the key factor when calculating what and where to spend.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Should this translate into weakening consumer confidence and any reduction in discretionary spending, the services industry—particularly historically affordable brands such as McDonald's—could see their sales suffer.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
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Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 2 May 2025
Its middle income shoppers have pulled back on discretionary spending in the face of still-high prices for necessities.
—Time, 2 May 2025
Trump, Biden allies divided over GDP report One crisis away from homelessness
While discretionary spending is somewhat determined by priorities, income is the key factor when calculating what and where to spend.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Should this translate into weakening consumer confidence and any reduction in discretionary spending, the services industry—particularly historically affordable brands such as McDonald's—could see their sales suffer.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary. Accessed 13 May. 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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