Definition of arbitrary
1a : 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.
What is an example of arbitrary?
Arbitrary is defined as something that is determined by judgment or whim and not for any specific reason or rule. An example of an arbitrary decision would be a decision to go to the beach, just because you feel like it.
What is an arbitrary person?
capricious, impulsive, whimsical. determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason. discretional, discretionary. having or using the ability to act or decide according to your own discretion or judgment.
What is arbitrary in a sentence?
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice. (1) You can make an arbitrary choice. (2) My choice is always arbitrary. (3) The rules seemed arbitrary and inflexible.
Does arbitrary mean unfair?
(ɑrbɪtrɛri ) adjective. If you describe an action, rule, or decision as arbitrary, you think that it is not based on any principle, plan, or system. It often seems unfair because of this.
What is an arbitrary law?
Law. Arbitrary comes from the Latin arbitrarius, the source of arbiter; someone who is tasked to judge some matter. An arbitrary legal judgment is a decision made at the discretion of the judge, not one that is fixed by law. In some countries, a prohibition of arbitrariness is enshrined into the constitution.
Does arbitrary mean random?
To summarize, for those who need to explain this to others: Arbitrary describes a decision-making process in which the choice simply doesn’t matter or is made on a whim. Random, on the other hand, describes a decision-making process as well, but one in which every possible option is given equal weight.
What is arbitrary decision?
When used in reference to a judge’s ruling in a court case, arbitrary means based on individual discretion rather than a fair application of the law. For example, finding someone guilty of a crime simply because they have a beard would be an arbitrary decision.
What is arbitrary action?
If you describe an action, rule, or decision as arbitrary, you think that it is not based on any principle, plan, or system. It often seems unfair because of this. [disapproval] Arbitrary arrests and detention without trial were common.
What is arbitrary government?
Arbitrary government is a distinctive form of unreasonable gov- ernment; it is a departure from the rule of law, in favour of rule by the mere will of the rulers.
What is arbitrary authority?
decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute. having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical: an arbitrary government.
What is arbitrary approach?
A method of determining the advertising budget, in which a high-level executive subjectively stipulates how much will be spent on advertising for a certain time period.
What is an arbitrary claim?
The term arbitrary describes a course of action or a decision that is not based on reason or judgment but on personal will or discretion without regard to rules or standards. An arbitrary decision is one made without regard for the facts and circumstances presented, and it connotes a disregard of the evidence.
What is arbitrary punishment?
A punishment that is administered in an arbitrary way — that is, imposed on some individuals but not on others, with no valid justification for the difference — is unconstitutionally cruel, just as an excessively harsh punishment is cruel.
