indiscriminately

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "indiscriminately" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions taken without careful judgment or distinction, often implying a lack of selectivity. Example: "The chemicals were released indiscriminately into the river, causing widespread environmental damage."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Early on, back when Underwood was a hungry whip who'd stab his own grandmother if it would inch him closer to power, you'd see him indiscriminately spraying bullets around at clusters of enemies in Call of Duty.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The one point on which I'm inclined to agree with the noble lord, and on which evidence abounds in spades, is the fact that even now, 35 years after the Sex Discrimination Act came into force, the laws protecting women against pregnancy discrimination at work are being flouted, and seemingly indiscriminately.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the suggestion that voters would respond by punishing all the major parties indiscriminately proved wide of the mark.

The Guardian - Opinion

Even MPs like Nick Boles are so worried who will lead us through the Putin threat that they've started indiscriminately canvassing Twitter for opinions.

The Guardian

England, who appealed indiscriminately and in an impassioned manner than on Saturday brought a reprimand from the match referee Hanumant Singh, should consider where such an approach is counter-productive.

The Guardian - Sport

It is clear as well that many Italians support the legal action and have been appalled to see their police indiscriminately beating foreign visitors.

The Guardian - Sport

He enjoys himself deconstructing the word "chilled", a "pocket fluff" definition that's indiscriminately applied to any sort of restrained and subtle music, including his own.

The Guardian - Music

"The Boko Haram gunmen are now at the Jeka-da-Fari roundabout in the centre of the city, firing indiscriminately and throwing pamphlets calling on people not to participate in the elections," resident Ali Dahiru said.

The Guardian

"They were firing indiscriminately, they shot a lot of people," he said.

The Guardian

In March, five-year-old Thusha Kamaleswaran was seriously injured by teenagers on bikes, who fired their gun indiscriminately into a local shop, because the boys they had been fighting took cover there.

The Guardian - Opinion

They indiscriminately attacked cars.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "indiscriminately", ensure the context clearly indicates what is lacking discrimination. Be specific about the target or scope of the action to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

While "indiscriminately" is a valid word, overuse can make writing seem less precise. Consider stronger, more descriptive adverbs that specify the nature of the lack of discrimination, such as "randomly", "arbitrarily", or "haphazardly".

Linguistic Context

Grammatically, "indiscriminately" functions as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action is performed without careful selection or distinction. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Formal & Business

22%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverb "indiscriminately" describes actions lacking careful selection or distinction, highlighting randomness or a non-targeted approach. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in news and formal contexts. While versatile, it's important to consider more specific adverbs for clarity, and to be mindful of overuse in formal writing. Alternatives include "randomly", "arbitrarily", and "haphazardly". It is found very often in the news. Top sources include The Economist and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

randomly

This term emphasizes the lack of a specific pattern or method in the action.

arbitrarily

This suggests the action is based on whim or personal preference rather than reason.

haphazardly

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

without distinction

Highlights that no differentiation is made between the targets or recipients of the action.

across the board

Indicates that something applies equally to all members of a group or category.

non-selectively

Directly contrasts with selective behavior, emphasizing a lack of choice.

promiscuously

Suggests a wide and unreserved distribution or application.

at random

Similar to "randomly", but often used to describe a selection process.

aimlessly

Suggests a lack of direction or purpose in the action.

universally

Implies that the action applies to everyone or everything in a given scope.

FAQs

What does "indiscriminately" mean?

"Indiscriminately" means without making any distinctions or careful choices; randomly or arbitrarily.

How can I use "indiscriminately" in a sentence?

You can use "indiscriminately" to describe actions taken without careful judgment, such as "The company fired employees "across the board" due to budget cuts."

What are some alternatives to the word "indiscriminately"?

Alternatives to "indiscriminately" include "randomly", "arbitrarily", "haphazardly", or "without distinction". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "indiscriminately" in formal writing?

Yes, "indiscriminately" is appropriate for formal writing, but consider whether a more specific adverb might provide greater clarity.