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View synonyms for

discretion

[ dih-skresh-uhn ]

noun

  1. the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment; freedom of judgment or choice:

    It is entirely within my discretion whether I will go or stay.

  2. the quality of being discreet, especially with reference to one's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum:

    Throwing all discretion to the winds, he blurted out the truth.

    Synonyms: , , ,



discretion

/ ɪˈɛʃə /

noun

  1. the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid social embarrassment or distress
  2. freedom or authority to make judgments and to act as one sees fit (esp in the phrases at one's own discretion, at the discretion of )
  3. age of discretion or years of discretion
    the age at which a person is considered to be able to manage his own affairs
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of discretion1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English discrecioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin 徱ŧپō-, stem of 徱ŧپō “separation”; equivalent to discreet + -ion
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. at discretion, at one's option or pleasure:

    They were allowed to work overtime at discretion.

More idioms and phrases containing discretion

In addition to the idiom beginning with discretion , also see throw caution (discretion) to the winds .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But while the Albertsons crew is only just revealing themselves for the first time, discretion was only really a priority at the very start.

From

The notice Steele received says DHS is using its discretion to terminate the parole, at most seven days from the date of the notice.

From

But handheld dry herb vaporizers offer a notable step up in flavor, convenience, and discretion.

From

Labour's Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who put forward the amendment during a committee hearing on the bill, said she wanted to provide "some discretion" in a limited number of situations " to avoid unintentional consequences".

From

"The dollar is stumbling under the weight of trade-policy whiplash, and portfolio managers have lost faith in anything that involves political discretion," he added.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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discrete variablediscretional