arbitrary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The DOJ has long claimed that the policy was not arbitrary but carefully laid out in a May 2025 email about “Courthouse Arrest Guidance and Case Adjudication.”

From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026

“Bad years for the S&P 500 are due to very specific factors, not just bad luck or arbitrary changes in investor sentiment,” said Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek, in commentary shared with MarketWatch on Tuesday.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

She has been extremely active in denouncing corruption, illegalities, arbitrary actions by the authorities, and human rights violations.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

This has resulted in the FDA moving trial standards and nixing drugs for arbitrary reasons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

It was a story of how the outliers in a particular field reached their lofty status through a combination of ability, opportunity, and utterly arbitrary advantage.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell