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

---

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

---

discretion More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing discretion

• throw caution (discretion) to the winds

---

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

The court holds complete discretion to choose which cases to consider each term and always rejects the vast majority of petitions that it receives.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

So, while federal tax refunds are bigger on average this year, they’re not as big as previously estimated, and people don’t have as much discretion on how to spend them.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Under Fifa rules, the world governing body has "sole discretion" on what happens if a team withdraws or is excluded from the competition.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

These reports are typically generated by school administrators who have discretion over what gets filed but can face repercussions if an unreported incident later leads to problems.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Few rules constrain the exercise of prosecutorial discretion.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

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