arbitrary

adjective

ar·​bi·​trary ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē How to pronounce arbitrary (audio)
-ˌtre-rē
1
a
: existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as a capricious and unreasonable act of will
an arbitrary choice
When a task is not seen in a meaningful context it is experienced as being arbitrary.Nehemiah Jordan
b
: based on or determined by individual preference or convenience rather than by necessity or the intrinsic nature of something
an arbitrary standard
take any arbitrary positive number
2
a
: not restrained or limited in the exercise of power : ruling by absolute authority
an arbitrary government
b
: marked by or resulting from the unrestrained and often tyrannical exercise of power
protection from arbitrary arrest and detention
3
law : depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by law
The manner of punishment is arbitrary.
arbitrarily adverb
arbitrariness noun

Did you know?

Arbitrary comes from Latin arbiter, which means "judge" and is the source of the English arbiter. In English, arbitrary first meant "depending upon choice or discretion" and was specifically used to indicate the sort of decision (as for punishment) left up to the expert determination of a judge rather than defined by law. Today, it can also be used for anything determined by or as if by a personal choice or whim.

Examples of arbitrary in a Sentence

U.S. News was revealed to have considered assigning in its next rankings an arbitrary SAT score to Sarah Lawrence College because the school no longer collects applicants' scores. Julie Rawe, Time, 2 Apr. 2007
Darwin's emphasis on how populations gradually change gave the notion of species a more arbitrary quality: Species had whatever boundaries taxonomists chose. The idea of a species as a population of individuals that breed mostly with each other comes from 20th-century theorists. S. Milius, Science News, 25 Mar. 2006
The Marriage Act certainly employed arbitrary and draconian means. It forced all couples to marry between 8 am and 12 noon, according to the rites of the established Church of England, in one of their respective local parish churches. David Johnson, History Today, November 2003
Two days after President Lincoln issued the first version of his Emancipation Proclamation, he suspended the right of habeas corpus for anyone accused of resisting the draft or discouraging enlistment. Hundreds of civilians were arrested, some for good reasons, some for entirely arbitrary and personal ones. Michael Lesy, Double Take, Spring 2001
An arbitrary number has been assigned to each district. I don't know why I chose that one; it was a completely arbitrary decision. Although arbitrary arrests are illegal, they continue to occur in many parts of the country.
Recent Examples on the Web Benjamin said the demand for proof was an arbitrary application of the company’s terms of service tied to Graden and Hebron’s background, and the delay might slow medical care that Hebron needs. Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 The location of Dogwood Estate was hardly arbitrary; the elder Cashes had long owned a nearby spread, a six-structure compound also built by Dixon called Sycamore Homestead. Mark David, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024 If the movie’s tone is busy, its rules are arbitrary. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 Justice in soccer is essentially as arbitrary as Everton has charged. Rory Smith, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 This can be used to bypass the iOS sandbox to such a degree that accessing the memory of an arbitrary app is possible. Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 In past decades, the court had at least occasionally stood up for personal freedoms, and for the rights of the provinces, acting as a modest brake on the arbitrary exercise of state power. Ramachandra Guha, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 And whether a concessions employee serves popcorn in the collectible vessel or on the side depends on arbitrary corporate directives, the shape of the container, and the customer’s interest in keeping their purchase in mint condition. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2024 Its burgeoning workforce, ever-expanding campus, and potential geopolitical impact aside, Epic has grown slowly and deliberately since its founding in 1979 — never taking on the type of institutional capital that creates arbitrary pressures. Seth Joseph, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arbitrary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "depending on individual discretion," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French arbitraire, arbitrarie "relating to arbitration," borrowed from Latin arbitrārius "relating to or depending on the discretion of an arbiter," from arbitr-, arbiter arbiter + -ārius -ary entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of arbitrary was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near arbitrary

Cite this Entry

“Arbitrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arbitrary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

arbitrary

adjective
ar·​bi·​trary ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē How to pronounce arbitrary (audio)
1
: coming from or given to free exercise of the will without thought of fairness or right
an arbitrary punishment
an arbitrary ruler
2
a
: based on or determined by a person's preference or opinion
an arbitrary choice
b
: seeming to have been chosen by chance
an arbitrary sampling
arbitrarily adverb
arbitrariness
ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē-nəs
noun

Legal Definition

arbitrary

adjective
ar·​bi·​trary ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē How to pronounce arbitrary (audio)
1
: depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by standards, rules, or law
the manner of punishment is arbitrary
2
a
: not restrained or limited in the exercise of power
an arbitrary government
b
: marked by or resulting from the unrestrained exercise of power
protection from arbitrary arrest and detention
3
a
: based on preference, bias, prejudice, or convenience rather than on reason or fact
an arbitrary standard
different provisions for the married and the unmarried were irrational and arbitraryK. A. Cohen
b
: existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as an unreasonable act of individual will without regard for facts or applicable law
often used in the phrase arbitrary and capricious
an agency finding or conclusion of lack of evidence would be arbitrary and capricious if the record afforded no substantial basis for such a findingIrvin v. Hobby, 131 F. Supp. 851 (1955)

Note: Under section 706 of the Administrative Procedure Act, a court shall set aside an agency's action, findings, or conclusions determined upon review to be arbitrary.

arbitrarily adverb
arbitrariness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on arbitrary

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