discretionary
discretionary — adjective
1. not fixed by rules or laws, but left for the person in charge to decide based on
not fixed by rules or laws, but left for the person in charge to decide based on their own judgment — for example, a manager's decision about which team members receive a bonus.
The judge has discretionary power to reduce the sentence for first-time offenders.
discretionary + power for legal authority
School principals in Taiwan have discretionary authority over minor disciplinary matters.
Whether the company funds the project is entirely discretionary and depends on the board's decision.
Bilal's discretionary bonus reflected his outstanding performance over the past year.
Each department head receives a discretionary budget to spend on staff training activities.
- optional
broader term; anything you can choose or not is optional, but not every optional matter involves someone's authority to decide
- elective
suggests a choice made by voting or personal preference; more common in academic or political contexts
- non-mandatory
more literal and less formal; emphasises that something is not required by rule
- mandatory
required by law or rule, leaving no room for personal judgment
- compulsory
forced by a rule or authority; stronger than mandatory
- obligatory
required by duty, law, or social convention
文法句型
discretionary + noun
be + discretionary
用法筆記
Frequently used attributively before nouns such as 'power,' 'authority,' 'decision,' or 'budget.' The predicative form (e.g., 'The decision is discretionary') is less common but grammatically correct.
常見錯誤
2. describes money spent on things that people want but do not strictly need for ba
describes money spent on things that people want but do not strictly need for basic living — such as dining out at restaurants, holidays, electronics, or luxury goods.
The family cut back on discretionary spending after Elena lost her job.
collocation: discretionary spending
New clothes and restaurant meals are discretionary purchases, not monthly necessities.
Mizuki set aside a small amount each month for discretionary expenses like concert tickets.
During the recession consumers reduced discretionary purchases such as electronics and vacations.
Nkechi's household budget divides income into essentials and discretionary categories.
- non-essential
more direct and widely understood; simply means not necessary for basic living
- non-necessary
less common; used in formal written analyses
文法句型
discretionary + noun (spending, purchase, expense)
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun in economic or personal-finance contexts. The noun phrases 'discretionary spending,' 'discretionary income,' and 'discretionary expenses' are the most common fixed expressions.
常見錯誤
3. relating to a financial arrangement in which a professional manager makes decisi
relating to a financial arrangement in which a professional manager makes decisions about investing or distributing money, without needing permission from the owner or beneficiary each time.
Cyrus invested through a discretionary fund handled by a professional asset manager.
collocation: discretionary fund
Under a discretionary trust the trustee can distribute income to any beneficiary as needed.
Putri's grandparents set up a discretionary account for her university tuition fees.
Discretionary accounts allow financial advisors to trade stocks without calling you first.
The bank offers discretionary portfolio management for clients with high net worth.
- non-discretionary
describes an account or trust where the manager must follow fixed instructions from the client or beneficiary
文法句型
discretionary + noun (fund, trust, account)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (NON-ESSENTIAL): a 'discretionary fund' in this sense refers to a management structure, not to money for non-essential purchases. The context — banking, investment, trusts — makes the intended meaning clear.