arbitrarily

[ahr-bi-trair-uh-lee]

adverb

1. based on the judgment or will of an individual.

   The Fourth Amendment protects my right to not be arbitrarily searched.

2. without an apparent reason or pattern; randomly; capriciously.

   There is no need to stop living life to its fullest simply because we have reached some arbitrarily set age for what broader society calls “retirement.”

Other Word Forms

• nonarbitrarily adverb
• unarbitrarily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of arbitrarily¹

arbitrary ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Conaie, the country's largest indigenous organisation which led a national strike, said "five of us have been arbitrarily detained".

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"I urge the security forces to desist from the use of unnecessary and disproportionate force and to immediately release all arbitrarily detained protesters," Türk said in a statement on Monday.

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This, it said, allowed "countless" government officers, including "tens of thousands of local police officers", to "unilaterally and arbitrarily" issue orders for content removal.

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Article 6 of the covenant holds: “Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.”

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"As a precursor to elections, they need to end the violence, release all those arbitrarily detained, and allow all political parties to register and participate instead of dissolving opposition parties," the NGO said.

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Related Words

• forthwith 
• promptly 
• swiftly