Arbitrary

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈɑːrbɪˌtrɛri/

Definitions of arbitrary

noun Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher explained that the decision was arbitrary, meaning it was made without reason.

A2 The arbitrary selection of winners caused confusion among the participants.

B1 The committee's arbitrary ruling on the matter raised concerns about fairness.

B2 The CEO's arbitrary decision to cut employee benefits led to a decrease in morale.

C1 The judge's arbitrary interpretation of the law was heavily criticized by legal experts.

C2 The government's arbitrary use of emergency powers drew international condemnation.

verb Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 I arbitrarily chose a movie to watch tonight.

A2 She arbitrarily selected a book from the shelf.

B1 The committee arbitrarily decided on a deadline for the project.

B2 The judge arbitrarily ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

C1 The dictator arbitrarily arrested anyone who spoke out against him.

C2 The CEO arbitrarily fired several employees without cause.

adjective Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher assigned an arbitrary seating arrangement for the students.

A2 The decision to close the park at an arbitrary time upset many visitors.

B1 The company's arbitrary rules regarding vacation time caused frustration among employees.

B2 The judge's ruling seemed arbitrary and lacked clear reasoning.

C1 The politician's arbitrary decision to increase taxes without consulting experts led to backlash from the public.

C2 The CEO's arbitrary changes to company policies caused confusion and unrest among the employees.

adverb Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher assigned homework arbitrarily.

A2 She made an arbitrary decision without consulting anyone.

B1 The company's policy seemed arbitrary and unfair.

B2 The judge's ruling appeared to be based on arbitrary reasoning.

C1 The committee made an arbitrary decision that angered many members.

C2 The dictator ruled the country with arbitrary power and control.

pronoun Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher asked the students to choose an arbitrary number between 1 and 10.

A2 She made an arbitrary decision without considering all the facts.

B1 The company's policy seemed arbitrary and unfair to many employees.

B2 The judge's ruling appeared to be based on arbitrary reasoning rather than evidence.

C1 The dictator's rule was characterized by arbitrary arrests and executions.

C2 The committee's selection process was criticized for being arbitrary and inconsistent.

preposition Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher assigned arbitrary seating for the students.

A2 The rules seemed arbitrary to the new employee.

B1 The decision was made based on arbitrary factors.

B2 The selection process appeared to be arbitrary and unfair.

C1 The judge's ruling seemed arbitrary and capricious.

C2 The company's policies were criticized for being arbitrary and inconsistent.

conjunction Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 I can wear any color shirt I want, it's arbitrary.

A2 The decision to cancel the event seemed arbitrary to me.

B1 The teacher's grading system seemed arbitrary and unfair.

B2 The company's policy changes appeared arbitrary and confusing.

C1 The judge's ruling seemed arbitrary and based on personal bias.

C2 The CEO's decisions were often seen as arbitrary and unpredictable by the employees.

interjection Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 Arbitrary! I don't want to do my homework.

A2 Arbitrary! Let's go to the park instead.

B1 Arbitrary! I'll just pick a random movie to watch.

B2 Arbitrary! I'll choose a restaurant for dinner.

C1 Arbitrary! I'll make a decision based on my gut feeling.

C2 Arbitrary! I'll select a book at random from the library.

article Not applicable

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher chose an arbitrary number for the students to practice counting.

A2 The selection of winners was done in an arbitrary manner, causing confusion among participants.

B1 The company's decision to restructure its departments seemed arbitrary to many employees.

B2 The judge's ruling was based on arbitrary factors rather than concrete evidence.

C1 The CEO's arbitrary decisions led to a decrease in employee morale and productivity.

C2 The government's arbitrary policies have sparked protests and backlash from the public.

Examples of arbitrary in a Sentence

formal The judge made an arbitrary decision based on insufficient evidence.

informal She just picked a random number, it was so arbitrary.

slang The rule is totally arbitrary, it makes no sense.

figurative The artist's use of color was arbitrary, adding a sense of chaos to the painting.

Grammatical Forms of arbitrary

past tense

arbitrarily

plural

arbitraries

comparative

more arbitrary

superlative

most arbitrary

present tense

arbitrarily

future tense

will be arbitrary

perfect tense

has been arbitrary

continuous tense

is being arbitrary

singular

arbitrary

positive degree

arbitrary

infinitive

to be arbitrary

gerund

arbitrarily

participle

arbitrarily

Origin and Evolution of arbitrary

First Known Use: 0014 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'arbitrary' originated from the Latin word 'arbitrarius' meaning 'dependent on the will or discretion'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'arbitrary' has evolved to also encompass the idea of being subjective, random, or capricious, in addition to being dependent on personal choice or discretion.