discretion

American  

[dih-skresh-uhn] / dɪˈskrɛʃ ən /

noun

1. the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice.

   It is entirely within my discretion whether I will go or stay.

2. the quality of being discreet, especially with reference to one's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum.

   Throwing all discretion to the winds, he blurted out the truth.

   Synonyms:

   sense, discrimination, wisdom, judgment

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idioms

1. at discretion, at one's option or pleasure.

   They were allowed to work overtime at discretion.

discretion British  

/ dɪˈskrɛʃən /

noun

1. the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid social embarrassment or distress

2. freedom or authority to make judgments and to act as one sees fit (esp in the phrases at one's own discretion, at the discretion of )

3. the age at which a person is considered to be able to manage his own affairs

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discretion More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing discretion

• throw caution (discretion) to the winds

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Etymology

Origin of discretion

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English discrecioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin discrētiōn-, stem of discrētiō “separation”; equivalent to discreet + -ion

Explanation

If you have the freedom to decide something on your own, the decision is left to your discretion. You're in charge. Discretion traces back to the Latin verb discernere, "to separate, to discern," from the prefix dis-, "off, away," plus cernere, "separate, sift." If you use discretion, you sift away what is not desirable, keeping only the good. If you have the freedom to choose, something is "at your discretion." Watch out when you hear the phrase "viewer discretion advised" on TV or at the movies — you will most likely encounter profanity and violence.

Example Sentences

That led them to “reject the mandatory statutes, which they regarded as barbaric, but uphold the guided discretion approach.”

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

Schiff’s new bill mandates that a human has full discretion over weapons using AI, and increasing transparency and review requirements for the Pentagon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

When looking at companies that clear those bars, the index committee then has discretion over which companies to include, and may informally consider factors like sector weightings.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

The selection committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices has discretion when determining which eligible companies to add to the index and sometimes chooses not to make changes at the scheduled time.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Some states also initiated mandatory transfer rules, which took away any discretion from prosecutors and judges over whether a child should be kept in the juvenile system.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• attention
• foresight
• maturity
• prudence
• responsibility
• tact
• vigilance
• wisdom