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

Synonyms

• elective
• optional
• voluntary

Examples of discretionary in a Sentence

discretionary spending on luxuries dropped dramatically last year

Recent Examples on the Web

Even if all discretionary spending was eliminated, reaching $2 trillion would require an additional $300 billion in cuts to programs that are required to be funded by law. —Mike Patton, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024

Executives said during the previous quarter that discretionary spending in categories like apparel and beauty saw growth, thanks in part to the price cuts. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 20 Nov. 2024

For 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) requested $90 billion of taxpayer funds in discretionary funding, a 13.6% increase from the previous year. —Wenyuan Wu, Orange County Register, 18 Nov. 2024

These sectors consist of industrial, consumer discretionary and financial stocks. —Brian Evans, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

discretion + -ary entry 2

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing discretionary

• discretionary account
• discretionary income

Legal 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.