discretionary

American  

[dih-skresh-uh-ner-ee] / dɪˈskrɛʃ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. subject or left to one's own discretion.

2. for any use or purpose one chooses; not earmarked for a particular purpose.

   discretionary income; a discretionary fund.

---

discretionary British  

/ -ənrɪ, dɪˈskrɛʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. having or using the ability to decide at one's own discretion

   discretionary powers

---

Other Word Forms

• discretionarily adverb
• nondiscretionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of discretionary

First recorded in 1690–1700; discretion + -ary

Explanation

Discretionary means it's up to you to decide. Bathing regularly is a discretionary act, so you can opt not to do it if you want; note, however, that your friends might disagree with us on this. Discretionary is often used to describe money that isn’t designated for a particular purpose. It’s up to the people in charge to decide how discretionary funds should be spent. Discretionary comes from the word discretion, which can be used to mean “the right to decide something based on one’s own judgment.” If you're given a task to complete at your discretion, you can decide how you want to do it — or whether you want to do it at all.

Example Sentences

“Declining confidence, geopolitical uncertainty and rising living costs—especially fuel—are still encouraging caution and fewer discretionary trips,” Sumpter added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“Families who depend on petroleum products to commute to jobs and school and to heat their homes may need to pull back on more discretionary forms of spending,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Although luxury spending as a percentage of overall U.S. discretionary outlays is currently relatively low, it’s a sign that households retained some purchasing power—even as higher gas prices kicked in.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“Globally, the IT sector now has a P/E below consumer discretionary, consumer staples and industrials. Unlike most sectors, its valuation premium relative to history has also fallen sharply,” they said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Spoade was the world’s champion sitter-around, no holds barred and gouging discretionary.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

Related Words

• unrestricted