arbitrarily
Americanadverb
-
based on the judgment or will of an individual.
The Fourth Amendment protects my right to not be arbitrarily searched.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of arbitrarily
Explanation
Something said or done arbitrarily is done randomly or without much thought — like when you arbitrarily eat whatever happens to be on the buffet table at your cousin's wedding. The adverb arbitrarily describes something that's done haphazardly, based on random chance or on your own whim of the moment. If you go to a movie and know nothing about anything that's playing, you might arbitrarily choose one — based on the titles, the look of the posters, or on nothing at all. When there's not much reason behind your actions, they're done arbitrarily.
Vocabulary lists containing arbitrarily
Lincoln Inaugural Address (March 1861)
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The Freedom of Information Act (2016)
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The Martian
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Geneva, the UN human rights office called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those "arbitrarily detained" in Delhi.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026
The universe contains a finite amount of information that can become accessible to us, even if we waited for an arbitrarily long time.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
Foro Penal confirmed the release of Miguel Castillo Cedeño, who it said had been arbitrarily detained since June 2019.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
The suit notes precedent is a case from 1977 that ruled the White House cannot arbitrarily restrict press credentials for reporters on grounds that there’s retaliation for viewpoint discrimination.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
“For example, could you have arrived at azoth if you’d arbitrarily closed your mind to certain chemical compounds?”
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
