arbitrary

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adjective ar·bi·trary \ ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē , -ˌtre-rē \

Definition of arbitrary

1 a :existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as a capricious and unreasonable act of will

an arbitrary choice

When a task is not seen in a meaningful context it is experienced as being arbitrary.
—Nehemiah Jordan

b :based on or determined by individual preference or convenience rather than by necessity or the intrinsic nature of something

an arbitrary standard

take any arbitrary positive number

2 a :not restrained or limited in the exercise of power :ruling by absolute authority

an arbitrary government

b :marked by or resulting from the unrestrained and often tyrannical exercise of power

protection from arbitrary arrest and detention

3 law :depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by law

The manner of punishment is arbitrary.

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arbitrarily

play \ˌär-bə-ˈtrer-ə-lē, -ˈtre-rə-\ adverb

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arbitrariness

play \ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē-nəs, -ˌtre-rē-\ noun

See arbitrary defined for English-language learners

See arbitrary defined for kids

arbitrary was our Word of the Day on 08/02/2017. Hear the podcast!

Examples of arbitrary in a Sentence

U.S. News was revealed to have considered assigning in its next rankings an arbitrary SAT score to Sarah Lawrence College because the school no longer collects applicants' scores. —Julie Rawe, Time, 2 Apr. 2007
Darwin's emphasis on how populations gradually change gave the notion of species a more arbitrary quality: Species had whatever boundaries taxonomists chose. The idea of a species as a population of individuals that breed mostly with each other comes from 20th-century theorists. —S. Milius, Science News, 25 Mar. 2006
The Marriage Act certainly employed arbitrary and draconian means. It forced all couples to marry between 8 am and 12 noon, according to the rites of the established Church of England, in one of their respective local parish churches. —David Johnson, History Today, November 2003
Two days after President Lincoln issued the first version of his Emancipation Proclamation, he suspended the right of habeas corpus for anyone accused of resisting the draft or discouraging enlistment. Hundreds of civilians were arrested, some for good reasons, some for entirely arbitrary and personal ones. —Michael Lesy, Double Take, Spring 2001
An arbitrary number has been assigned to each district.
I don't know why I chose that one; it was a completely arbitrary decision.
Although arbitrary arrests are illegal, they continue to occur in many parts of the country.

Recent Examples of arbitrary from the Web

The problem that everybody has is the arbitrary nature with all this punishment.

— paul daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc on suspension of Bengals' Burfict: Make the law clear," 29 Aug. 2017
The most arbitrary ranking system on the Internet takes on pizza L.A. is not considered a pizza city.

— steffi victorioso, Los Angeles Magazine, "Every Pizza at Pizzanista!, Ranked," 23 Aug. 2017
Being added to the Terrorist Screening Database is not an arbitrary process.

— michael harriot, The Root, "Why Aren’t White Supremacists on the Terror Watch List?," 22 Aug. 2017
Lawmakers setting arbitrary rules on opioid prescriptions unfairly restricts how doctors can treat their patients.

— the tylt, AL.com, "Should access to opioid painkillers be restricted?," 14 Aug. 2017
Because the writer’s promising setup progressively gets abandoned for arbitrary scares and dim revelations.

— jon niccum, kansascity, "‘Annabelle: Creation’ is more irritating than haunting," 10 Aug. 2017
Police unions argue that the right to appeal terminations through arbitration protects officers from arbitrary punishment or being second-guessed for their split-second decisions.

— mark dent, Alaska Dispatch News, "Fired and rehired: Hundreds of officers fired for misconduct returned to policing," 3 Aug. 2017
The points program is intended to offer more flexibility, but critics of the program complain that the basis for determining value of points at various properties can be arbitrary or disputed.

— paul brinkmann, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Time-share law change at heart of Florida lawsuit involving Marriott Vacation Club," 20 July 2017
Here is our admittedly arbitrary list of the biggest, most significant building developments in Oregon.

— OregonLive.com, "Oregon's 10 biggest construction projects," 16 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arbitrary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Arbitrary is derived from the same source as "arbiter." The Latin word arbiter means "judge," and English adopted it, via Anglo-French, with the meaning "one who judges a dispute"; it can now also be used for anyone whose judgment is respected. "Arbitrary" traces back to the Latin adjective arbitrarius ("done by way of legal arbitration"), which itself comes from "arbiter." In English "arbitrary" first meant "depending upon choice or discretion" and was specifically used to indicate the sort of decision (as for punishment) left up to the expert determination of a judge rather than defined by law. Today, it can also be used for anything determined by or as if by a personal choice or whim.

Origin and Etymology of arbitrary

Middle English, "depending on individual discretion," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French arbitraire, arbitrarie "relating to arbitration," borrowed from Latin arbitrārius "relating to or depending on the discretion of an arbiter," from arbitr-, arbiter arbiter + -ārius ²-ary

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

arbitrary Synonyms

Synonyms

dictatorial, high-handed, imperious, peremptory, willful (or wilful)

Antonyms

methodical (also methodic), nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized

Near Antonyms

balanced, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, just, nonpartisan, objective; rational, reasonable, understanding; unbiased, unprejudiced; ethical, honorable, irreproachable, law-abiding, moral, principled, unimpeachable

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

ARBITRARY Defined for English Language Learners

arbitrary

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adjective

Definition of arbitrary for English Language Learners

: not planned or chosen for a particular reason : not based on reason or evidence
: done without concern for what is fair or right

ARBITRARY Defined for Kids

arbitrary

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adjective ar·bi·trary \ ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē \

Definition of arbitrary for Students

1 :made, chosen, or acting without thought of what is fair or right

arbitrary decisions

an arbitrary ruler

2 :seeming to have been made or chosen by chance

We were given an arbitrary list of books to choose from.

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arbitrarily

\ˌär-bə-ˈtrer-ə-lē\ adverb

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arbitrariness

\ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē-nəs\ noun

Law Dictionary

arbitrary

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adjective ar·bi·trary \ ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē \

legal Definition of arbitrary

1 :depending on individual discretion (as of a judge) and not fixed by standards, rules, or law

the manner of punishment is arbitrary

2 a :not restrained or limited in the exercise of power

an arbitrary government

b :marked by or resulting from the unrestrained exercise of power

protection from arbitrary arrest and detention

3 a :based on preference, bias, prejudice, or convenience rather than on reason or fact

an arbitrary standard

different provisions for the married and the unmarried were irrational and arbitrary
—K. A. Cohen

b :existing or coming about seemingly at random or by chance or as an unreasonable act of individual will without regard for facts or applicable law —often used in the phrase arbitrary and capricious

an agency finding or conclusion of lack of evidence would be arbitrary and capricious if the record afforded no substantial basis for such a finding
—Irvin v. Hobby, 131 F. Supp. 851 (1955)

Note: Under section 706 of the Administrative Procedure Act, a court shall set aside an agency's action, findings, or conclusions determined upon review to be arbitrary.

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