arbitrariness

[ ahr-bi-trer-ee-nis ]

noun

1. the quality of being subject to an individual’s will, judgment, discretion, or personal preference:

   Of course none of this makes sense; it just shows the arbitrariness and subjectivity of what's considered obscene.

   Students need to recognize that there is a certain arbitrariness in any ranking, and be less concerned about whether a school has moved up or down slightly in any given year.

2. the quality of having no apparent reason or pattern; randomness:

   These inconsistencies show the arbitrariness, incongruity, and unreliability of what gets remembered.

3. the state or quality of being uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; tyranny:

   When red tape serves only the organization itself, the rule of law can easily turn into arbitrariness.

   The real burden on the peasants was the arbitrariness of the autocratic form of government.

4. Linguistics, Semiotics. (of words or language) the quality of having no correspondence between the sounds or form of a word and the form, function, or meaning of the thing being denoted:

   The arbitrariness of words is absolute because words are abstractions.

5. Mathematics. the quality of being undetermined, or not having been assigned a specific value:

   The arbitrariness of ε concludes the proof for that case.

Other Words From

• non·ar·bi·trar·i·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arbitrariness¹

arbitrary ( def ) + -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

There was also a huge focus on microtransaction boosters, which made arbitrary requirements to the player that encouraged spending, or more grinding.

From Washington Post

People who have applied for services describe an arduous and arbitrary qualifying process.

From ProPublica

While firms can turn to the courts if they view CFIUS’s actions as arbitrary or heavy-handed, this may be a long shot.

From Fortune

Israel operates a complex permit regime for Palestinians, described by human rights groups as exploitative and arbitrary.

From Ozy

She knows that the signifier has an arbitrary relationship with the signified.

From Vox

Moreover, once Greendale is saved, they quickly call of their engagement further revealing its arbitrariness.

From The Daily Beast

She is chosen, not by any momentary arbitrariness, but as a result of foregoing hereditary conditions: she obeys.

From Project Gutenberg

There can be no irregularity, inconsistency, arbitrariness or caprice in His doings, for such would mean injustice.

From Project Gutenberg

The assumption has been that arbitrariness was the chief feature of the whole process.

From Project Gutenberg

All law is supposed to be just, otherwise it is arbitrariness and not law.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes she opposes and quarrels with her, if the mother has less tact than arbitrariness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bigotry
• extremism
• hatred
• intolerance
• zeal
• zealotry