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arbitrary

[ahr-bi-trer-ee] / ˈɑr bɪˌtrɛr i /




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.

All this variance and randomness, all these rules on top of regulations, none of it is exactly arbitrary, but neither is it fair.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

A Federal Reserve paper published last year found substantial and arbitrary variation in agent commissions across metropolitan areas.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

Perec was a member of Oulipo, an avant-garde circle of writers and mathematicians who believed that arbitrary rules imposed in advance of writing were the path to creative discovery.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

The statement added that it came "after 140 days of arbitrary detention and the persistent denial of specialised healthcare".

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Moreover, the idea of a limited set of allowed orbits seemed very arbitrary.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking




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