Discretion vs Arbitrary - What's the difference?
discretion | arbitrary |
The quality of being discreet or circumspect.
The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
The freedom to make one's own judgements.
(usually, of a decision) Based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.
Determined by impulse rather than reason; heavy-handed.
(mathematics) Any and all possible.
Determined by independent arbiter.
Anything arbitrary, such as an arithmetical value or a fee.
As nouns the difference between discretion and arbitrary
is that discretion is the quality of being discreet or circumspect while arbitrary is anything arbitrary, such as an arithmetical value or a fee.As an adjective arbitrary is
based on individual discretion or judgment; not based on any objective distinction, perhaps even made at random.discretion
English
Noun
(en-noun)- Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.
- I leave that to your discretion .
Antonyms
*Derived terms
* discretionary *Anagrams
* ----arbitrary
English
Adjective
(arbitrariness) (en adjective)- Benjamin Franklin's designation of "positive" and "negative" to different charges was arbitrary . In fact, electrons flow in the opposite direction to conventional current.
- The decision to use 18 years as the legal age of adulthood was arbitrary , as both age 17 and 19 were reasonable alternatives.
- "The Russian trials were Stalin's purges, with which he attempted to consolidate his power. Like most people in the West, I believed these show trials to be the arbitrary acts of a cruel dictator." (
Max Born, Letters to Einstein
)
- The equation is true for an arbitrary value of x.
- To secure food safety, there should first be a national standard to arbitrarily state what is wholesome and what is not; second, the final buyer should know exactly what he is purchasing. (
The World's Work ...: a history of our time
)