1
as in arrogant
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
an arbitrary piano teacher who makes all her students do the same exercises over and over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
the order of the names of the 10 semifinalists is entirely arbitrary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in oppressive
exercising power or authority without interference by others
a nation with no tradition of democracy, only a long history of arbitrary rulers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arbitrary
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by three nonprofits, who argued the signature checks are arbitrary and cause many valid ballots to get thrown out, disproportionately harming young, Black, Hispanic and Asian voters.
—
Axios Seattle, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
Several lawsuits argue that Trump’s immigration policy violates the Administrative Procedure Act by acting in an arbitrary and capricious manner.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
A lot of character growth happens offscreen, and the romantic relationships feel arbitrary more than anything else — necessary on the page for marketing a TV show, but mostly incidental to what makes people want to watch this one in the first place.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
Eversource is asking the court to overturn a 2023 PURA decision that the company claims was based on an arbitrary application of regulatory law and intended to reach a pre-determined decision to slash its rates.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrary
Axios Seattle, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
Several lawsuits argue that Trump’s immigration policy violates the Administrative Procedure Act by acting in an arbitrary and capricious manner.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
A lot of character growth happens offscreen, and the romantic relationships feel arbitrary more than anything else — necessary on the page for marketing a TV show, but mostly incidental to what makes people want to watch this one in the first place.
—Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
Eversource is asking the court to overturn a 2023 PURA decision that the company claims was based on an arbitrary application of regulatory law and intended to reach a pre-determined decision to slash its rates.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for arbitrary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arbitrary
Adjective
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So this kind of parallel can easily be drawn between Iran and other countries, [including those with] an arrogant isolation program, definitely.—
Georg Szalai,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Mar. 2025
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One of the targets of his reign of terror is arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen, played by Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush admitted to the facility after being left partially paralyzed after a stroke.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Cherry rues the random nature of these instances of trauma, which explode only to be forgotten five minutes later, subsumed beneath the next crisis.—
Sam Worley,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2025
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Choosing a random cabin location Choose your cabin location with careful consideration and a strategic approach.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The triangle was turned right-side-up to show that gay people were standing up to oppressive forces.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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My parents came here from Syria, carrying their stories of the oppressive regime there that made life unlivable.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In this way, democratic parenting is markedly different from both permissive parenting and authoritarian parenting.—
Miranda Rake,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2025
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They are also seen as sharing a joint interest in diminishing the role of the U.S. and other liberal democracies in determining world events in favor of their own highly authoritarian systems.—
Christopher Bodeen,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As reported, Tapestry’s Coach filed a suit against the fast-fashion specialist for trademark counterfeiting, federal trademark infringement, false advertising and unfair competition.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
WWD,
19 Mar. 2025
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Last week, Walmart executives were summoned to Beijing to meet with Chinese officials, who said that making Chinese suppliers pay the tariffs would be irresponsible and unfair.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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However, the Jets’ defense was inconsistent after Robert Saleh’s firing following a 2-3 start.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
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But uneven rain patterns across the state mean the wildflower situation will be inconsistent.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What is the character of those who bear false witness and favor Russia’s tyrannical lies over Ukrainians’ unalienable rights?—
Mark Sandy,
TIME,
14 Mar. 2025
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The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent the kind of tyrannical rule that the colonies fought to free themselves from.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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During the pause, the state will evaluate if reinstating the law would create an unreasonable risk to staff and inmate safety.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
11 Mar. 2025
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Along with the financial risks, many new business owners face personal challenges stemming from self-doubt, working in isolation, lack of work-life balance and unreasonable expectations.—
Veranda Adkins,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to arbitrary
Cite this Entry
“Arbitrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arbitrary. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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