arbitrarily

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "arbitrarily" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has been decided upon or chosen without any real logic or reason behind it. For example, "The teacher arbitrarily chose one student to answer the question without giving the rest of the class a chance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Assuming vampires only feed once a month ("a highly conservative assumption given any Hollywood vampire film"), and that each time a vampire feasts upon a human their respective populations increase/decrease by 1, a simple geometric progression suggests that vampires would wipe out humans in approximately 2.5 years (assuming arbitrarily that the first vampire appeared in the year 1400).

The Guardian

In his next brace of interviews, Miliband is bound to backtrack by arbitrarily listing recent television programmes and unconvincingly declaring them to be his favourite.

The Guardian

Leaked memos suggested that Whitehall was discreetly considering grisly specifics, such as arbitrarily cutting some disabled adults' stipend, simply because they happened to be young.

The Guardian - Opinion

However, amid worries about whether ministers could arbitrarily interfere in the running of the charter body, Letwin proposed the five-page bill to prevent the government of the day interfering with its constitution.

The Guardian

M. Ravi, a human-rights lawyer representing the challengers, had argued that Section 377(a) arbitrarily distinguished between gay men and women, leaving the former open to incarceration and the latter untouched, but his argument also held no weight for the court.

The Economist

A lot of good work is done by average people".If a large proportion of the workforce doubt the fairness of the grading system, and fear being among an arbitrarily imposed quota of "underperformers", many may try to jump before they are pushed: staff turnover may thus be higher than is desirable.

The Economist

But no one benefits when these are poorly conceived and arbitrarily applied.

The Economist

On July 27th even the Global Times, a usually reliable critic of American behaviour, argued that China should avoid "arbitrarily expanding" the definition of its core interests.

The Economist

Before long, most African countries had leaders who ruled as arbitrarily as traditional chiefs, but were far less accountable.

The Economist

Its sophistication and stealth led Symantec to conclude that it must have been written by a nation-state.In this section Feast and famine The spy who hacked me ReprintsRegin (the arbitrarily chosen name comes from a text string found in the bug's innards) is only the latest in a long line of government-sponsored malware (see table).

The Economist

The trouble is that workers are arbitrarily divided into two classes with different levels of protection and the first to be laid off when jobs must be cut are younger workers on short-term contracts, who may well be of greater value to the firm.Sometimes policies almost seem designed to create unemployment.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "arbitrarily" to emphasize a lack of reason or system in a decision or action. For example, 'The selection process seemed quite "arbitrarily" decided.'

Common error

While both terms imply a lack of specific intent, "arbitrarily" suggests a decision made without justification, whereas randomly indicates a selection from a range of possibilities without bias. Use "arbitrarily" when you want to highlight the lack of a justifiable reason, not just the lack of a predictable pattern.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "arbitrarily" modifies verbs, adverbs, or adjectives to indicate that an action, quality, or manner is determined by chance, whim, or without any apparent reason or system. Ludwig provides numerous examples that reinforce this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "arbitrarily" functions as an adverb to describe actions or decisions lacking clear reason or justification, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Its usage is prevalent in news and media, as well as formal business contexts, denoting a neutral register. Alternatives such as "randomly" or "capriciously" can be used depending on the desired emphasis. A key best practice is using "arbitrarily" when highlighting the absence of justifiable reasons, distinguishing it from randomness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Randomly

Emphasizes the lack of pattern or predictability in the selection or decision.

Capriciously

Highlights the impulsive and whimsical nature of the action, often implying a lack of serious consideration.

Erraticly

Focuses on the inconsistent and unpredictable nature of the behavior.

Without reason

Directly states the absence of a logical basis for the action.

Unpredictably

Highlights the lack of anticipation possible before the action or decision.

Inconsistently

Stresses the lack of uniformity or coherence in the application of rules or standards.

Subjectively

Emphasizes that the decision is based on personal feelings or opinions rather than objective criteria.

Haphazardly

Suggests a lack of planning or organization in the way something is done.

Indiscriminately

Indicates that the action is applied without making careful distinctions or considering individual circumstances.

Wantonly

Implies a reckless and unjustified disregard for the consequences of the action.

FAQs

How can I use "arbitrarily" in a sentence?

You can use "arbitrarily" to describe actions or decisions made without any apparent reason or system. For example, 'The teacher assigned seats "arbitrarily", with no consideration for student preferences.'

What words can I use instead of "arbitrarily"?

Alternatives to "arbitrarily" include "randomly", "capriciously", or "without reason", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say something was done "arbitrarily"?

Yes, it is correct to say something was done "arbitrarily" if the action or decision was made without a clear or justifiable reason. Ludwig AI confirms that this word is perfectly valid.

What is the difference between "arbitrarily" and "subjectively"?

"Arbitrarily" implies a lack of any discernible rationale, while "subjectively" suggests that a decision is based on personal feelings or opinions. While a subjective decision might have some underlying reasoning, an arbitrary one does not.