indiscriminate

[ in-di-skrim-uh-nit ]

adjective

1. not discriminating or discerning; lacking in care, judgment, selectivity, etc.:

   indiscriminate in one's friendships.

2. done at random or without making distinctions; haphazard:

   indiscriminate slaughter.

3. not kept apart or divided; thrown together; jumbled:

   an indiscriminate combination of colors and styles.

   Synonyms: varied, motley, mixed, heterogeneous, random

indiscriminate

/ ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmɪnɪt /

adjective

1. lacking discrimination or careful choice; random or promiscuous
2. jumbled; confused

Derived Forms

• ˌindisˈcriminately, adverb
• ˌindisˈcriminateness, noun
• ˌindisˌcrimiˈnation, noun

Other Words From

• in·dis·crim·i·nate·ly adverb
• in·dis·crim·i·nate·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of indiscriminate¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; in- ³ + discriminate (adjective)

Synonym Study

See miscellaneous.

Example Sentences

The pro-Russian separatists and their allies inside Russia have become indiscriminate with some of their heavy weapons.

From The Daily Beast

Or did a band of reactionary theocrats put their progressive brethren to the indiscriminate sword?

From The Daily Beast

College rankings are ubiquitous, confusing, and often indiscriminate.

From The Daily Beast

Their fire was indiscriminate at best, targeting civilians at worst.

From The Daily Beast

For decades, mainstream Palestinian thought has regarded the indiscriminate killing of Jews as legitimate.

From The Daily Beast

A few continuing to fire after the main body had surrendered, an indiscriminate slaughter ensued.

From Project Gutenberg

The mangled bodies were hurried to the catacombs, and thrown into an indiscriminate heap of corruption.

From Project Gutenberg

Our two friends, however, found indiscriminate joy in everything; I have their letters to prove it.

From Project Gutenberg

On the other hand, the beginner finds himself using words that have lost, their meaning through indiscriminate usage.

From Project Gutenberg

The progress of the fusion of races is shown by the lists of names, which are both Saxon and Norman in indiscriminate order.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aimless
• extensive
• haphazard
• unplanned
• wholesale