ARBITRARY: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for ARBITRARY?

Need another word that means the same as “arbitrary”? Find 20 synonyms and 30 related words for “arbitrary” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Arbitrary” are: capricious, whimsical, random, chance, erratic, unpredictable, inconsistent, wild, haphazard, casual, despotic, tyrannical, tyrannous, peremptory, summary, autocratic, dictatorial, authoritarian, draconian, autarchic

Arbitrary as an Adjective

Definitions of "Arbitrary" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “arbitrary” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

  • Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
  • (of power or a ruling body) unrestrained and autocratic in the use of authority.
  • Based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice.
  • (of a constant or other quantity) of unspecified value.

Synonyms of "Arbitrary" as an adjective (20 Words)

autarchicOf or relating to or characterized by autarchy.
authoritarianCharacteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty.
He had an authoritarian and at times belligerent manner.
autocraticOffensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power.
An autocratic person.
capriciousDetermined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason.
A capricious refusal.
casualOccurring from time to time.
A casual short sleeved shirt.
chanceOccurring or appearing or singled out by chance.
A chance meeting.
despoticRuled by or characteristic of a despot.
His administration was arrogant and despotic.
dictatorialCharacteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty.
His mother in law was somewhat dictatorial.
draconian(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.
The Nazis destroyed the independence of the press by a series of draconian laws.
erraticLikely to perform unpredictably.
Erratic winds are the bane of a sailor.
haphazardDependent upon or characterized by chance.
A most haphazard system of record keeping.
inconsistentDisplaying a lack of consistency.
He had done nothing inconsistent with his morality.
peremptoryNot allowing contradiction or refusal.
Spoke in peremptory tones.
randomUnfamiliar or unspecified.
The class was hard but he was so random that it was always fun.
summaryNot including needless details or formalities; brief.
Summary arrest.
tyrannicalCharacteristic of tyranny; oppressive and controlling.
A tyrannical parent.
tyrannousMarked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior.
A tyrannous disregard for the welfare of the workers.
unpredictableUnknown in advance.
An unpredictable or indeterminable future.
whimsicalDetermined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason.
The victim of whimsical persecutions.
wildProduced from wild animals or plants without cultivation.
Wild tribes.

Usage Examples of "Arbitrary" as an adjective

  • Arbitrary division of the group into halves.
  • An arbitrary choice.
  • Of arbitrary size and shape.
  • The arbitrary rule of a dictator.
  • An arbitrary decision.
  • An arbitrary penalty.
  • A country under arbitrary government.

Associations of "Arbitrary" (30 Words)

arbitrarilyIn a random manner.
Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained.
arrhythmicNot rhythmic; without rhythm or regularity.
An arrhythmic heartbeat.
assignedAppointed to a post or duty.
Assigned duties.
carelessWithout due thought or consideration.
Careless proofreading.
cursoryHasty and without attention to detail; not thorough.
A cursory glance at the figures.
discretionaryDenoting or relating to investment funds placed with a broker or manager who has discretion to invest them on the client’s behalf.
Discretionary income.
haphazardMarked by great carelessness.
A most haphazard system of record keeping.
haphazardlyWithout care; in a slapdash manner.
A hodgepodge of family photos haphazardly arranged on a table.
hastyExcessively quick.
Hasty decisions.
headlongExtremely or recklessly hasty.
A headlong rush to sell.
hurriedDone in a hurry; rushed.
A hurried job.
impetuosityRash impulsiveness.
impetuousMoving forcefully or rapidly.
Impetuous heaving waves.
impulsiveActing as an impulse.
Liable to such impulsive acts as hugging strangers.
indiscriminateDone at random or without careful judgement.
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics can cause problems.
indiscriminatelyIn a random manner.
People who are sedentary and who eat indiscriminately.
madcapAmusingly eccentric.
Madcap escapades.
perfunctorilyIn a set manner without serious attention.
He kissed her cheek perfunctorily.
precipitantA cause or stimulus which precipitates a particular condition.
The immediate precipitants of the conflict.
random(of masonry) with stones of irregular size and shape.
Some randoms in the crowd asked Ivan Ljubicic to take a photo for them.
randomizeArrange in random order.
You can randomize the ingredients with the tap of a button.
randomlyIn a random manner.
I randomly split the ironing into two piles.
rashlyWithout careful consideration of the possible consequences; impetuously.
He rashly promised crime would fall sharply by September.
rushedDone or completed too hurriedly; hasty.
A rushed job.
slapdashHurriedly and carelessly.
Slapdash work.
slipshodMarked by great carelessness.
Slipshod spelling.
spasmodicOccurring or done in brief, irregular bursts.
Spasmodic fighting continued.
swiftA swift flying insectivorous bird with long slender wings and a superficial resemblance to a swallow spending most of its life on the wing.
The water was very swift.
unjustifiedNot shown to be right or reasonable.
Unjustified price increases.
unpredictableNot capable of being foretold.
The unpredictable weather of the Scottish islands.

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